DebiMcK23

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I can't believe it has been 6 months since surgery.  It has been a wonderful journey.

I am now fitting nicely in size 1x or extra large tops, and size 18 pants.  When I wear something that is a size 20, people tell me I need to go shopping for new clothes. 

A bunch of us went out Friday night, to this bar in West Grove called the Red Rose Inn.  My cousin's band was playing and they had a dance floor, which was the only encouragement I needed to drive 45 minutes!!!  Alot of folks that I hadn't seen in years were there.  And my dear friend Mike couldn't stop telling me how great I looked.  Then we would tease me and look around for my Gary.  LOL

I danced the night away and my face wasn't beet red after 2 or 3 songs...  

I still need to work on my exercise.  I get on the eliptical at work but not as often as I should.  I had hoped I would be down 100 lbs by my 6 month mark, but I am thrilled with a loss of 83 lbs.  I know I need to kick up the exercise, especially now that I am at the 6 month mark and I can feel the weight loss has started to slow down.  In fact, I have been at a stall for almost a month now.

We are going to Orlando in March, which should be alot of fun.  I might even schedule a day at Universal Islands of Adventure, because I will probably fit in almost all of the rollercoasters now.  Although I am not a huge rollercoaster fan, so fitting in the seats might be a disadvantage.  

I bought a new bathing suit one of those slim suits that suck in EVERYTHING.  it looks very cute on, but I can't breathe.  Someone told me you should buy a size larger, but of course I got that info AFTER I had already ordered the suit...  and I ended up getting a size 16, which isn't even a woman's size 16...  but I can wear it, and I know it will fit better in 2 months time.  lol

I like the new Weightloss Chart on OH.  I added all my dates and weights and it made a pretty chart.  I will keep using it.

on to an update about me.  I am down to 237 lbs.  Yeah!  I have lost 66 lbs so far, and have 77 lbs to get to my goal of 160lbs.  Although I have to admit, the closer I get to my halfway mark, the more tempted I am to lower my goal...  I have been playing with the numbers, and even made a ticket were my goal weight was 137lbs.  137 lbs is what I weighed the summer before 6th grade, when I started my menstral cycle for the first time...  I hit those number again in freshman year of college, but that was when I was popping diet pills like they were m&ms.  God, did I love Phen/Fen...  

Anyway, my size 20 clothing are starting to get baggy, and the size 18 clothing with a little stretch are starting to look good...  I can't believe it.  I haven't been to the gym in a while, but that's only because Craig hasn't been going to karate.  My 6 year old has MRSA, (but is responding beautifully to the treatment) but I can't take him to karate for 2 weeks and karate class is when Mommy gets to work out too.  
But starting next Monday, I am back to my 3 days a week workouts!  I promise...

It has been 16 weeks since my surgery.  I am down 63 pounds, and loving life.    I have been wearing jeans/pants in size 20, but only if they have stretch in them.  Just bought a pair of jeans in a size 18, but I can't get them on it.  I know it is only a matter of time though.

I need to get myself back on a schedule as to working out.  I try to go at least 3 times a week, but sometimes life gets in the way and I don't make it all three times.

I know my husbands 15 year class reunion is coming up in a few weeks.  Don't know if we are going to attend.  But this time, it isn't because I don't want to!!!  I would love to have an excuse to go out and get dressed up.  And I feel so much better about myself since losing this weight.  I won't feel like people are looking at him and saying why is he with that girl!

Now, I know I still have a long ways to go.  I am not even halfway to goal yet.  and Dr. Boe warned me that my weight loss was going to start to slow down.  So in a few weeks, I might need to look back at this post and remind myself that I was in such a good place emotionally...  lol

Right now, I am 20 lbs away from my wedding weight...  and the lowest weight I have been in 10 years...  I am 13 lbs away from having a BMI under 40...  and 40 lbs away from Onederland...  

I can't believe I am already 2 months out.  and down about 32 lbs since surgery!  I am thrilled to be wearing a size 22/24 comfortably again, and I can't wait to move down another size!
Life is good, I still believe this was the best decision I have made in a long time, other than picking my husband of course!  LOL
I am getting used to eating real food.  Has some issue with hamburger last night.  It was too dry, and I ended up puking again.  But trial and error, right!
I still haven't experiencing dumping.  I haven't touched sugar at all since surgery.  In fact, I have been so good, it is depressing that the scale hasn't dropped more!  but I will get there eventually.
I can't wait till my blood work next month.  I am so excited to see the health changes.  I also haven't had alot of wow moments yet, but I think once I am down a couple more pounds they will start coming too.
All is good, I am very happy, and I can't wait for Lorie and Gina to join me on the losers bench.  I have known both of them for almost 20 years!  back when we only thought we were fat!  LOL

Time flies when you are recovering from surgery!!!

I am still doing very well with the full liquids.  Most of the time I am getting in all of my protein and liquids...  I did add small curd cottage cheese (Low Fat) to my diet.  I can put some salad dressing on it, and it helps me feel like I am eating something real.  I have been having trouble with all the sweetness from the protein drinks.  I needed something with a different taste.  and the texture isn't bothering me at all.

I have started that obsession with the scale.  At around 2 weeks, I started to get on the scale 7 or 8 times a day.  I know it isn't good for my mental health, but at the same time, I can't stop myself.  I think I would normally be going into the fridge 7 or 8 times a day, so if getting on the scale stops me from eating somehting I shouldn't, well, I am willing to take that tradeoff.

We just found out my father has prostate cancer.  He is going to have surgery in the very near future.  My brother died from colon cancer in 2006, so it is rough to have another family menber going thru cancer.  but my father's was caught very early, so he has an excellent diagnosis.

Deb

I am home, and so pleased with the way everything went.  Goodness, the staff at Barix is so wonderful.  I feel so lucky to have chosed Barix as my hospital.  Dr. Boe was awesome.  And everyone made me laugh...
I was surprised by how little pain I felt after the surgery.  I made good use of the Mophine pump, which I think helped me tremendosly.  If you are pre op, please remember there is a reason they give you morphine!!!  Don't be afraid to use it, you shouldn't have to be in pain!  I didn't experience the horrible gas other experienced.  Maybe I am just a skilled farter!!!  I did have some shoulder pain (left side) from gas that was pretty intense, but other than that my pain was definitely manageable.  
The morphine definitely helped me sleep, I would take a bit too much, and find I was unable to stay awake.  LOL  then I would sleep for about 20 minutes and think I must have sleep for hours.  My husband said I would fall asleep in the middle of the conversation, then wake up and keep right on talking where I had left off, even though the nurse I was talking to had left the room.  Gary definitley got a good laugh out of that...
Now on to the daily living of my new life!!!  I am sipping and walking, and watching tv and napping.  I took a shower in my own bathroom this morning, very exciting!!!  so far, I have finished 8 ounces of protein shake and 16 ounces of water.  I am trying to drink 4 ounces of protein shake at a time...  6 times a day.  I want to make sure to get my protein in, so I don't lose too much of my hair!  My husband is going out tonight to buy me Any Whey Protein, and Matrix Protein, so I can try some of the other recipies in the Barix book...
I don't find myself using my Barix Mug too much yet.  I drink so slowly, the water gets warm before I finish it.  I am still experimenting with everything....  but I will let you all know when I find my rhythm.

It is 12:07 am, which means officially, I have one more day until surgery...  YEAH!!!
Went to the Chadds Ford Support Meeting last night.  It was wonderful as always.  My best friend Lorie went with me.  She had her initial consult last week and is excited to be on this journey with me.  Of course, Lorie is a very smart girl, and she is going to wait to see how I do before jumping in herself!  LOL
i got on the scale at ChaddsFord.  I am officially 10 lbs lighter than I was at my PAT...  which is great...  I hoped to be even less with the all liquid diet, but then I found out I could have apple juice and I have been drinking alot of apple juice.  I know it is empty calories, but it is comforting to me when I get stressed.  Plus at Jenni's wedding, I could drink it and everyone thought I was drinking beer, so I didn't feel odd.
Speaking of the wedding, it was lovely...  Everything was perfect.  I think in a past life, I must have been a wedding planner.  Or maybe in a future life...
Cheers,
Debi

I only have one more week till surgery, and I can't wait!!!  
The liquid diet is truly killing me!   I am starting to get dizzy...  and I don't know what I am allowed to eat to counteract the dizzyness...  i called the nut at Barix this morning, but they haven't called me back yet...

I need a nap right now too.  Because I am having so much trouble sleeping at night...  I think my nerves are starting to come out when I close my eyes...  The sleep apnea machine isn't helping either...

but I don't want to sound down...  I am so excited about my upcoming date...  I just can't wait to be sitting on the losers bench!!!

And boy is it tough!  Mom made hotdogs and hamburgers for everyone for dinner, and I had to leave the room when everyone started eating.  but I truly believe if I can't do a clear liquid diet for 10 days, how can I survive after the surgery.
I am already experiencing some stress and my first response is to eat...
Gary and I went to the Philly Bash last night, and stayed over night in the hotel.  I went to bed at 3:00 and he finally came in around 5:00.  We were up at 8:00 am.  Gary took a 6 hour nap today while I played wth the kids in the sun and I ended up getting very sunburnt.  When I left the room during dinner, I happened to fall asleep.  When the phone woke me up 45 minutes later, Gary told me to get on the computer to find out if my energy level was going to increase, because I was so exhausted.  I wanted to scream at him.  I reminded him that I only got 5 hours of sleep and got sunburnt...  and I would be exhausted even if I was eating...  LOL  then I walked around the house trying to find something for me to eat.  I had a SF Jello!
I need to go feed the baby.  I just figure out when I am going to have Ben's first birthday party, August 5th.  and I am going to be on full liquids still at that point...  My friend said, you can probable eat some softfoods and I wanted to scream NO I can't plan to go off program before I even have surgery...  I told a different friend that I was just going to serve lots of food that I don't like at the party!!!
Debi

but I just can't seem to get it to work...  so I am giving up and accepting that I am going to be a plain jane for a while!