Determined_Dawn

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Well, I AM...

Biking, swimming, walking, elliptical, bowflex and now Wii Fit...LOVE IT.

The weight loss is really accelerated lately which just fires me up to do more exercise...and it is such a feel good...

I know, I know...millions of people can't be wrong....I've heard it all along, but until you actually do it...you just don't get how good you feel...and baby I FEEL GOOD!!!!

Down 58 lbs...a bunch of inches...measurements to follow.  Pant size is down from 28 to 22...WOW

Now this is living!!

I don't quite know what I am doing wrong...some days I can eat with no troubles and others not so much.  Last night I ate Easter dinner-ham, potatoe casserole and turnip casserole-about 2 tbsp of each...about 1/2 an hour later and much pain to boot-up it all came.  Too rich?  Maybe.

Today I decided to give my wee tummy a break-mostly fluids-protein shakes, water, soup...then I decided on a few crackers...4 melba toast...and guess what...1/2 an hour later...up it comes.

Not sure it is anything to worry about...but it hurts like hell...and really...why likes to puke???

I have the best husband ever...this morning when I got up, Frank had a surprise waiting for me...he was up early and bought me a bike...

It has been about 10 years since I last rode a bike and until recently I figured I would never ride a bike again.  I have stayed home countless times when Frank and the kids go for rides, but not anymore baby...I'm a biker now!!!  I had suggested a while ago that maybe I would get a bike for my birthday in August...guess Frank had a better idea...now I'll have it for the whole summer. 

Helmet on...good to go!!  We went for a great ride down to the creek and back...so nice to be part of it...so nice to be getting my life back!!

Well, it's been 2 weeks since my surgery now and I'm feeling pretty good.  It was a rough road but worth it.  I've started to try different foods and I have been okay with most things...like crackers and cream cheese, scrambled egg, cottage cheese and cauliflower soup.  It is good to eat different things than the greek yogurt and apple sauce.

My energy is returning and I am going to start exercising today.  Going to go for a walk both am and pm.  I'm rediculously lazy so it will be an effort to get it going and establish a routine, but I will do it...chart on the fridge is a good start for me I think...some accountability.  My plan is to walk everyday and swim 3 times per week and in a couple of weeks add bow flex 3 times per week. 

My weight is a little frustrating to me right now...299...can't seem to break past it...I know that 39 lbs in 6 weeks but I expected to lose more since surgery than I have.  I guess the exercise is the next logical key to this.

Shoes on...ready to go!!

Well, here I sit...somewhat comfortable, 6 days post op from my RNY.  So far it has been a bit of a tough go.

My surgery was somewhat tricky because I had a ton of scar tissue from when I had my gallbladder removed in 1995.  It took 2 hours just to get that sorted out and an additional 3 hours for the RNY.  I have 9 incisions instead of the 5 I was promised. 

I came home on Saturday afternoon.  Was happy to sleep in my own bed, but it was soooo hard to get in and out of.  Not so mucn now-I can do it on my own.

I started the full fluids on Sunday and so far I have not had any intolerances, nausea or pain.  I am following the instructions to the letter.

I still have a fair bit of gas but each day a little less. 

Today I got dress which feels nice.

Need to change my weight widgets, cuz I've lost 6 more pounds!!

Nothing much to say since the last post as things have just been going so well. I've had a couple of grumpy days that were related to food-wanting it and not being able to have it, but it does pass and when I get over it I feel pretty good for not giving in to it.  Not that willpower is the true fighting force...truth be told it's fear...if I screw around with the pre surgery optifast and cost myself this surgery...I can't even go there...not gonna happen!!

I'm 23 days into the process of OPTIFAST and have lost 22 lbs.  I'm already noticing the changes...my body is moving differently...not as hard to lug around I guess...hard one to explain, but it is different.  I'm sleeping better-even Frank said just this morning that my breathing is different-not so laboured, more relaxed.  I wore a pair of jeans yesterday that in January I couldn't wear and breath at the same time...still a bit snug...but I wore them shopping.

Four days til surgery and I'm feeling really good...not scared...maybe I will be when I actually get there, but not now.

Got some preparing to do...I have a list and a few things yet to pick up.  Want to have things at home for the week or two following that I will need so no one has to go running for them.

I've decided that I want to start a gratitude journal specific to my process/progress.  I am thinking of doing it as a daily post on the website...will look into this. It will be good for me-having to think daily about what I am grateful for will help me thru the tough days and might just inspire someone else.  It will also help me to be accountable. 

Lots to do and only 4 days to do it...gotta go

Dawn

The past few days have been continuing to go well.  Even going out for the evening and having snack foods around me was okay.  But yesterday and today were tough...not sure why.  Maybe just boredom with the OPTIFAST.  I was legitimately hungry last night and my jello wasn't set yet and that nearly sent me over the edge and today it was like something was gnawing at me.  I continued to think about ways I could cheat without it be a disaster.  I did not leave my desk because I knew that could spell disaster.  I know that the hard work of changing habits does not come easily and that there is work to be done...

I went into the staff kitchen to make my shake and when the blender started up someone came in to see who was making what...bless my angel Tracy...we got talking about the whole surgery process and she was very supportive and just listened and low and behold...I'm not thinking of what I can cheat with anymore...just thinking about what this surgery will mean to me and my family...what work I've put in so far that I will not compromise...how this is the best thing that I will ever do for myself and I'm not in the business of letting myself down!!

17 days of OPTIFAST
  9 days to go
10 days til surgery
_________________
my life is priceless

Day 9 and all is well...only 18 days til surgery..just over one third thru the OPTIFAST.  I have to say I'm a little bored of the shakes and jello, but it really has not been difficult.  The weight loss is certainly helping to keep me focused.  My scale was not weighing me until I came below 330...actually, it did register 338 once quite a few weeks ago.  The hospital recorded my weight at my pre op as 345, but I'm sure that there is a discrepancy between that and my scale that now says: 322.  Gotta love that...give or take, due to the discrepancy, I'm down...who knows???  A bunch, I guess.  I suppose the hospital will weigh me on surgery day and then I'll know for sure what my loss is for the OPTIFAST portion.

Last night I went the the Durham WLS support group in Whitby.  It was really good...lots of info, success stories, tips and advice.  Most people are positive and happy with the results of their surgery.  There were people waiting for their surgery dates...a couple who are only a few weeks out...many who are several months to a few years out.  They look great!!  And for the most part, they are happy with their choice to have WLS.  Almost all spoke of frustration about their need for plastic surgery.  Some very depressed about it...Gave me something to think about...as much as I don't love to exercise, I know I need to...everyday...and not that it will be magic and that I won't have any skin issues, but I need to do the very best that I can to keep the skin tight as I lose.

Day 5 on OPTIFAST and still going well.  Little bit of diarrhea, but I can handle that.  Looking for pineapple extract to add to vanilla OPTI and with coconut extract...WHAM...pina colada, baby!!!!!!!!!! 

My scale is finally weighing me...329 this morning.  At pre op last Friday I was 345...now, I know that there is obviously a discrepancy between my scale and the scale at the hospital, but I am moving in the right direction...down, down, down I go

Dawn

Today was the craziest day...lets start with it's day 3 of OPTIFAST and so far so good.  Didn't shake my OPTIFAST  enough this morning and gagged on a few lumps, but otherwise the jello, the chicken broth and the OPTI are holding me over.

It's the people around me that are driving me nuts.  I had a colleague ask me about my upcoming surgery.  She thought I was having the lap band and paying for it myself.  When she found out it was the RNY and OHIP is covering it, her attitude changed...in not so many words...I got myself into this mess, I should pay to get out of it...idiot.  I didn't even dignify it with an answer...when I'm hot and fabulous looking I will prance around and say...hey look what OHIP gave me!!!!   LOL

Then my sister (who is truely my best friend and usually a big support to me) suggested I come over to her house tonight and make chocolate monkey suckers with her for my nephews birthday party...yes, while I am on optifast, waiting bariatric surgery, lets get together and muck about in chocolate...not gonna happen.  Ordinarily I would have gone and suffered the consequences...but this is the year of Dawn, and that means saying no to things not good for me with no guilt...seriously...making chocolate suckers had disaster written all over it.

Huh...turns out I can do what is best for me

Like I said...it's the year of Dawn...look out...this could get messy!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOL