Feelin' good!

OK, so I promised I would do better with posting updates.  Not so much.  Sorry!  This is going to be a quick one.  I've lost a total of 65 lbs. from my highest weight.  65 lbs!  That's a lot!  My goal is to lose about 25 more.  My BMI is 26.5, which is getting super close to being in the normal range!

I'm pretty consistently fitting into size 12 clothes now.  It feels awesome!  I've got so much more self-esteem than before.

I don't go back to the doctor's office until next month, which will be 6 months out from surgery.  They will do more labs, and I hope my iron level has gone up.  I've been really good about taking my iron supplements.

I've got a couple of good pictures this time!  The one on the left is from April 1 of this year.  I was at my highest weight of 229 in that picture.  The one on the right is from Friday night at 164.

I love my sleeve!

Going public

When I first made the decision to undergo weight loss surgery earlier this year, it was a decision I wanted to keep to myself.  I really only told my family and closest friends.  Part of me was embarassed that I needed to resort to surgery in order to combat my obesity.  Another part of me was ashamed of myself for not being able to do it on my own.  I initially only told my boss and my supervisor at work because I just didn't want to be the latest topic of gossip.

The closer I got to my surgery, the more comfortable I became with my decision and sharing it with others.  I decided to be honest with the co-workers in my department.  We're a pretty small group and I knew it would be obvious to them that I was doing something drastic about my weight.  More and more friends were told and I no longer felt embarassed or ashamed of my decision.  I received nothing but support from all I told.

Surgery came and went, and I started living the life of a WLS post-op.  While some people still didn't completely understand my surgery type, they were proud of me nonetheless.  One day I was contacted by the bariatric coordinator at the hospital where I had my surgery.  She asked if she could put me in touch with a reporter from the Courier-Journal who was writing a series of articles about weight loss surgery.  I was flattered.  The reporter told me she was trying to talk to people from various stages in the WLS journey, and also wanted to speak to patients of each surgery type.  I was happy to share my experiences and my reasons for choosing VSG over the other surgery types.

After our initial interview, the reporter contacted me on two other occasions in order to get updates on my weight loss and to ask some other questions she'd thought of.

So the articles were published Sunday and yesterday (Monday) in the print and online versions of the newspaper.  I went out and bought a newspaper Sunday morning with great anticipation, looking for my contribution to the story.  I didn't find it.  Four stories were published in the print version.  Just when I was starting to give up, I saw a line near the bottom of the page saying that more coverage would be in Monday's online version of the C-J.  They were going to have a story about people whose insurance didn't cover WLS.  My name was mentioned.

Yesterday I got online and was shocked to read the first line of the article.  It said how much I paid to lose weight.  Blunt.  Smack you in the face brutal honesty.  My name and the exact dollar figure were there in black and white for all to see.  I was a little disappointed by the whole thing because it barely mentioned the reasons why I had surgery and why I chose VSG.  I understand that cost is a very real concern.  Heck, it was for me, too.  But I guess I just thought that less emphasis would be placed on the money/insurance aspect of it.

I suddenly felt very exposed.  Something like "OMG, everyone's going to know that I had surgery and how much I paid."  I thought everyone at work and everyone I've ever known would be looking at me differently.  Well guess what?  No one has said anything yet.  I'm kind of relieved.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not shy about telling people about my surgery and why I did it.  But I am less open about how much it cost.  I feel like that is my own business.  Yes, people who are considering surgery should know the financial costs involved, especially if their insurance is not picking up the tab.  However, that is something they will find out in their research.  Anyway, it's out, and I can't go back and un-tell the reporter anything.  If it helped anyone, I hope it helps them make the decision that's right for them.

It’s been a while, but I’ve got lots to share!

Two weeks ago was my 3-month “surgiversary”.  Somehow it’s very hard to believe that it’s been that long.  In other ways though, it seems like much longer since I had my operation.

Life is very good.  My self-esteem is so much better these days.  I feel good about myself, and my body.  I’m proud of the progress I’ve made toward achieving my weight loss goals.  I can look at myself in the mirror and not hate the person I see looking back at me. My energy level is higher and I don’t get winded as easily as I used to.  Lots of people are able to notice that I’ve lost a significant amount of weight, but especially those who don’t see me on a daily basis.  My relationship with food has changed in a good way.  No longer do I live to eat; I now eat to live.

I still have a lot of restriction (the feeling of fullness I achieve) while eating.  I can eat a few ounces of dense protein and maybe a little bit of something else.  Food-wise, I’m back to eating pretty much anything except steak and pork.  I’ll be able to add those in a few weeks.  My main priority when eating is still and will continue to be making sure I eat enough protein.  My surgeon’s goal is for me to get at least 70 grams per day.

Some days I still have trouble getting in enough fluid and taking all of my supplements.  My labs have been good for the most part, but my ferritin level is low.  I saw my PCP about this and right now he just wants me to do better with my iron supplement and try to eat more iron rich foods.

Where the numbers are concerned, I am more than halfway to my goal weight.  I started this journey out at almost 230 pounds.  My goal is to reach 140.  I have lost 50 pounds, and have just under 40 pounds to go.  My starting BMI was about 37, which is considered “obese”, and is only 3 away from being “morbidly obese”.  Now my BMI is in the “overweight” range at 28.9.  Each week I’m moving closer and closer to having a BMI in the “normal” range, and I couldn’t be happier!

Clothes shopping is much more enjoyable now because I am finding cute clothes without going to the plus-sized stores and departments.  Just last night I bought an XL size wrap blouse (the “girls” are still there, thank God!) and a size 14 pair of pants.  Just a few weeks ago, I was only able to swing a size 16. I’m also down to a size 14 in jeans.  Last week I was going through some clothes that I had planned on donating and never got around to doing.  In that box, I had a size 12 pair of khakis.  Just for the heck of it, I tried them on, and they fit!

Now for some pictures!

This is a set of two self-portraits I took with my cell phone.  The difference is mind-boggling!  And look, I have collarbones now!!!

I’ll try not to take so long to post my next update.  Summer is always busy and there are a million things going on.  Anyway, thanks for reading!

Eight weeks out and new pictures!

This Monday marked 8 weeks since my surgery.  Can't believe how quickly it's gone by!  I'm pretty much eating all foods with the exception of steak, pork and ham, and I'm limiting the raw veggies.  I still have a lot of restriction and can't eat much at one sitting.  When my husband and I go out to eat, I usually order an appetizer or something and he ends up eating half of my food (by my request).  I am simply amazed at how little it takes to fill me up.

My weight this Monday was 194.4, which means I'm down 34.8 from my highest weight and 26.6 from the day of surgery.  I'm consistently losing between 2.5 - 3 lbs. per week, which I'm very pleased with.  I don't want to lose too much too fast, because it's not the healthiest way for the body.  Since surgery, I've lost almost 4 inches in my waist.  I will be hitting the clearance racks at Kohl's this weekend to see if I can score some good deals on new pants.  I'm tired of looking all saggy in the rear.  Most of my work pants are almost falling off of me!

Other than currently having some sort of allergy/sinus crud, I am feeling great.  I'm working hard to get enough fluids in me, though.  A couple of weeks ago, I became dehydrated and ended up going to the ER for some IV fluids.  It was a little scary, but fortunately I wasn't severely dehydrated.  The fluids "refilled my tank", so to speak.  I had a follow-up appointment with the nutritionist last week.  We talked about what foods I'm eating, how many calories and how much protein I'm getting each day, and ways to fit exercise into my super-busy life.  She wants to see me eat around 1100-1200 calories a day.  I think I'm currently getting in just under 800 per day.  Perhaps in a few months when I'm supposedly going to be able to eat more at a time, that will be a possibility.

Only two more weeks until my birthday and I'm hopeful that I'll be under 190 by then.  I want to look good on my 34th!  I'm already feeling so much better about myself.  Another WLS post-op commented recently on her success by saying that her hopelessness is gone.  I think that pretty much sums up how I'm feeling now, and that's only after two months.  I am finally feeling positive about myself and I no longer fear that I'll live my life as a morbidly obese person with an infinite number of health problems.  I have already started to prove otherwise!

On an interesting note, I was put in touch (by my surgeon's office) with a local reporter who is writing a story about weight loss surgery.  She is trying to cover all aspects of it, from pre-ops just starting their journeys to people who are several years out and living their new lives.  She is writing about each surgery type, and that's where I come in!  I spoke with her about my history of obesity and why I ultimately decided to have surgery.  I told her why I chose to have the sleeve and explained what recovery was like and how my lifestyle is different now as a result of having the surgery.  I want to help educate people about the sleeve and let them know that there's more to WLS than bands and gastric bypass.  I also told her that I'd recommend the surgery to anyone considering WLS and that they shouldn't be ashamed for turning to a surgical procedure to treat their obesity.  All in all, I think it was a good interview and I can't wait to read the entire article.  It's supposed to be published sometime in August.

OK, as promised, here are some new pictures.  I'm continuing to take them (for now anyway) in the same pink cami and black pants.  Maybe later I'll switch it up a bit and wear regular clothes for them.  Anyway, these were taken on Tuesday, June 29, 8 weeks post-op.  Thanks for reading!

 

Waking up in "Onederland"

Today I am six weeks out from surgery.  Monday is my weigh-in day for several reasons: it's easy to remember since it's the first day of a new week, and also because my surgery was on a Monday.  So, I got up this morning hoping to be pleased with the numbers on the scale.  I stepped on, waited a second and then looked down.  Imagine my surprise when I saw that the first digit of my weight started with a 1 instead of a 2!  Yes, I am back in "Onederland"!  My weight was 199.6.  Hey, it's barely under 200, but I'll take it!  I haven't been under 200 for at least 3 years.  I guess weighing under 200 was my first goal as a result of having surgery.  So glad to have achieved it already!  My next goal is to look great on my birthday, which is a month from tomorrow!

At this rate, I'm losing about 2-3 lbs. per week.  I couldn't be happier.  Super-rapid weight loss kind of scares me.  But 2-3 lbs. per week is a healthy rate at which to lose.  And besides, I don't care if it takes me a little longer to lose the weight.  I try to remember that "Slow and steady wins the race" mantra.

So, food-wise I'm back to being able to eat just about anything (except steak, pork & ham).  I'm still a bit timid to try rice and pasta just yet.  I'm scared they'll expand in my little tummy too much and cause me some discomfort.  We went to Sake Blue (a yummy Japanese bistro) on Saturday night and I ordered a Sashimi platter.  Didn't miss the rice for a second and the salmon and tuna went down so easily!

I really need to get some smaller pants.  I keep talking about it, but I think I'll wait just a bit longer.  All of my work pants are getting baggy, especially in the rear end.  I guess I'll be selling a lot of my "fat" clothes on eBay pretty soon.  I've still got some tops I'll be able to wear for a while.  I had a hard time parting with a lot of my "skinny" clothes after I regained weight for the millionth time.  That's really nice for me now, as I can just go shopping in my own closet!

The doctor's office called me Friday with my first lab results.  All in all, things are pretty good.  I was a little low on my iron, my ferritin and my protein.  I need to increase my protein to 70g a day and start taking 65mg of iron with 500mg of vitamin C two times a day.  Everything else is normal.  I am definitely doing better with my vitamins, so that is something I'm not worrying about so much anymore.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love my sleeve!  Seriously, I have had absolutely no regrets and I am feeling fantastic!  My self-esteem is higher, my health is improving with every pound I lose, and I'm not hungry all the time anymore.  I would recommend this surgery to anyone who was considering any kind of weight loss surgery.

That's all for now.  Thanks for reading!

Seriously... One Month Already?

Today I am one month out from surgery.  One month!  How is that possible?  It feels like a week or two at the most that I was getting ready for it to happen.  Anyway, I'm happy to report that I have lost a total of 16 pounds since surgery, and am down a total of 24.2 pounds from my highest weight.  Clothes are fitting better and I definitely have more energy already.  Just to compare, here are some pictures of me from the night before surgery vs. 1 month post-surgery.  And let me just say, please disregard the hot mess that I was in the before pics.  It was about 1:30 am the night before surgery with no makeup and seriously bad hair...  Nuff said!

Obviously, you can tell I have lost a lot in my face already.  That's always one of the first places I notice weight loss in myself.  I can also tell that I'm less chunky in the middle and the back.  So far I'm thrilled with my results and that's only after one month.

I went for my one month checkup at the surgeon's office today, and they too are pleased with my weight loss to date.  I am cleared for any kind of physical activity, so I hope to start doing yoga again very soon.  They took a lot of blood today to check my labs.  Keeping my fingers crossed that I'm not seriously low on anything.  It's been a struggle lately to get most of my vitamins in.  I just don't like the chewable calcium and multivitamins I'm taking.  Tomorrow (read: payday) I am planning to buy some different supplements I'll actually be able to tolerate.  Next checkup with the surgeon's office is at 3 months out (August).

Food-wise, I'm on stage 4 foods.  What that means is that I can have everything from previous stages (clear liquids, full liquids, soft foods - yogurt, pudding, cheese, beans, eggs, cottage cheese, etc.) and FISH!  Tuna, tilapia and Chilean sea bass have all been very yummy so far.  Last night we had sea bass with broiled tomatoes.  I had 2 oz. of fish and couldn't eat any more!  If I haven't said it lately, I LOVE MY SLEEVE!  Next week I get to incorporate chicken, turkey and lean ground beef into my diet.

Until next time!!  Thanks for reading!

First day back at work

So I went back to work today, 9 days after my surgery.  Fortunately, it was a pretty quiet day and I didn't have too much going on.  Everyone was really glad to see me.  A couple of the girls in my department could already tell that I'd lost a good amount of weight.  It is very easy to tell in my face.  That's probably the first place my weight loss is really noticeable.  I told several people about the details of my surgery and recovery, and the rest of the day I just quietly got my work done.

Today is also day 2 of the full liquid stage.  It's harder than I thought it would be to get in all my protein and my vitamins.  I'm back to drinking the high protein meal replacement shakes that I was drinking pre-op.  Let me tell you, it took me 3 and a half hours to get one down this morning.  I'm just not hungry!  Now, this is not a complaint... merely a statement.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could live on liquids (for now anyway) and be satisfied!  What I'm trying to do is drink two of the protein shakes and one of the high protein "shots" each day so I can get my 80ish grams of protein in that the doctor recommends.

In between all the protein, I'm attempting to consume other things as well; things like soup, pudding and milk.  I attempted to eat some cream of mushroom soup today and wasn't able to strain out the mushroom pieces.  Have you ever realized just how many little pieces of mushroom there are in a half cup of that stuff?  Geez!  Lesson learned - if I'm going to take something like that to work again, I'll prepare (strain) it at home first!

One other thing I'm trying to improve is my vitamin schedule.  Sometimes it's just hard to space everything just right.  But I'm still new at this and learning the ropes.

I think I might try a stage 2 approved fudgesicle tonight with my evening protein.  Not sure what the hubs and baby girl will eat, but I bet it doesn't come close to my dinner!

Thanks for reading!