SarahDay
5/13/03 - Three weeks from today I will be having surgery. I'm nervous, excited, scared. Got my dates for pre-op testing and teaching today. It all seems real now.
5/26/03 - Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and prayers! I'm only 8 days away now. Had all of my pre-op testing done last Thursday and go in for teaching tomorrow. This has been quite a journey so far but I know the hardest part is yet to come. I have questioned my decision to have this surgery over and over and am still wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I know I can't go on this way for much longer, but am so afraid of leaving my daughter motherless and my mother daughterless. I know my quality of life will improve 100+% after I've shed some of these pounds, but that doesn't extinguish the fears I have. My excitement, I think, it just as great as my fears! I am so excited to feel better and look better. I'm looking forward to getting off of the medications that I have had to take for the past year, and I'm looking forward to being able to play with my daughter again! I want to look good in a pair of jeans and be able to tuck my shirt in! Here we go!!!
6/1/03 - The day is almost here! I've been to every store finding all of the things that I need to prepare for surgery, and I have all of the foods that I need for the full liquid diet after the surgery. I have my pre-op appointment with the surgeon tomorrow. It's getting so close! I'm very nervous and excited! My mom made me a hugh lunch/dinner today, one of my favorites! She is awesome! My mother and my best friend took pictures of me today. GAG! I don't ever want to remember what I look like right now! I look and feel so terrible!!! I'll update when I get home from the hospital. Until then, wish me luck and keep me in your prayers!
6/17/03 - Wow! I can't believe that it's been 14 days since surgery! I've lost 22 pounds already and I'm feeling pretty good. I can't wait until I've lost 122 pounds! Surgery went okay. Recovery was a little worse than I thought it would be. I wasn't expecting certain things like having a hard time getting out of bed, and getting up and down from a sitting position. After two weeks, I'm ready to conquer the world, but I know I'm not finished recovering and that I must take it easy! Until next time...
7/9/03 - I'm back to work and feeling pretty good. I haven't started a workout routine yet and I'm feeling very guilty about that! I am going to try out a club tonight to see if I like it. I've lost 32 pounds and 17 1/2 inches in 36 days!! I can already see a difference from my before pictures! I think that's great, but I know the weight loss will slow down this next month and it will REALLY slow down if I don't start exercising! Exercise has always been my problem! I don't feel very energetic and am wondering if I'm lacking some vitamin or something.
8/2/03 - I finally went to check out a gym today!! I'm very proud of myself for getting through the door! I didn't buy a membership, but have a pass to try it out. I'm hoping that I can get a few people to go with me because I do much better when I work out with a partner. I've lost 40 pounds so far. Will be taking more measurements tomorrow.
8/21/03 - Wow! I can't believe how fast the time has gone by! I've recently been on a plateau and have been kind of frustrated. I kept thinking to myself that everyone goes through this and telling myself not to get discouraged because that is where I have failed in the past. I get frustrated and then I would give up. I've kept up the good work, and FINALLY broke the plateau by 1 pound!!! I've lost 44 pounds and over 30 inches so far! I've tried two gyms and have not decided on joining either one yet. I have enough free passes to workout for free for about 2 months! I bought a couple of workout tapes and have a treadmill at home, so between my free passes and the stuff I have at home, I have no excuse not to exercise!!! For anyone who has not tried yoga or pilates I would highly reccomend it! Wow! What a workout! I've never felt my ab muscles before, but I can sure feel them now!! Will be weighing and measuring again on Sept. 7, so I'll update again then.
10/6/03 - After being on a plateau for about a month, I have finally started losing again. I've lost 56 pounds so far. I needed to do something to kickstart my weight loss so I started Atkins for two weeks. In that two weeks I lost 6 pounds! I haven't been exercising and I'm sure I would lose a lot more if I were good about that, but it's finally cooling off enough here so that I can start walking at night. I've started losing handfulls of hair too. I have plenty left, but it kind of concerns me. Otherwise I feel pretty good. Will update again soon.
10/22/03 - I've lost 60 pounds now! The hair loss has gotten even worse! I bought some Nioxin shampoo and conditioner so hopefully that will work. I also switched back to chewable vitamins hoping that will help. I felt better when I was taking those. I think they are absorbed better. We are experiencing a heat wave here! It's the middle of October and it's still 103 during the day! Can't wait until it cools off a bit so I can start walking at night.
Will weigh and measure on Nov. 6. Will update more at that time.
1/13/04 - It's been a really long time since I've updated! Things are going great! I've lost a total of 80 pounds so far and 67 inches! My loss is slower than the Dr. would like, but I'm very grateful for every pound that I've lost! My weight loss is very slow now. What really helps to boost the loss is going on a protein diet, like Atkins for 2 weeks. I've started walking ocasionally, but not as much as I should. I'm actually still losing hair, but it's not that bad, I guess. I started out with enough for two people, so I think I'll be okay. I really do think that the Nioxin and chewable vitamins helped with that. I feel so good now! I don't hurt everywhere and I actually have energy to get my butt up off of the couch! I hardly ever watch TV anymore! I've started dating again and that feels great too! Men actually look at me and take double takes. What an awesome feeling!
2/28/04 - I just don't know where to start. This surgery is the best thing that I have ever done for myself! I feel so wonderful all of the time, mentally and physically! I've lost a total of 86 pounds and about 74 inches total. I'm still not exactly where I want to be, but I'm totally content with my progress. I would like to lose another 28 pounds at least. My new goal is my one year anniversary date of June 3rd, 2004. I've continued to faithfully take my vitamins. One reason is because if I don't I get all dizzy and weak. It's amazing how much of a difference vitamins make. I've had a few dumping episodes which make me never want to eat large amounts of sugar ever again. It's very miserable! I do eat small amounts of sugar though, which I'd like to stop eventually because I know it does me no good at all. I don't miss diet coke at all. I thought that would be the hardest part, but now I drink diet sprite, water, Aloe Splash, and iced tea. My hair has pretty much stopped falling out. Now I have a lot of regrowth coming in. I've been dating a few people, which is wonderful! It's such a nice feeling to know that men find me attractive again. When I meet someone, I'm so shocked when they ask me out for a second date! I find myself questioning why they would want to see me again. I guess it takes a while for the self confidence to catch up with the weight loss! I've also found that people treat me differently overall. People say hello, and are very nice and cordial to me in public. I no longer have the feeling that people are looking at me and judging me. It's so sad how society treats overweight and disabled people. Being on both sides of the fence, the difference amazes me. Until next time...........
Oh, by the way, I've gone from a size 22/24 to a size 8!!!! I just bought my first pair of size 8 jeans last week and couldn't believe it!
5/13/04 - I've lost a total of 95 lbs!!! 5 more pounds to the century mark! Didn't take measurements this month, but last month I had lost 85.5 inches. I never thought I would be this successful! My weight loss had plateaued for a couple of months so I decided to start Atkins again. I've lost 3 pounds this week alone. Things are looking great for me. I just got a promotion at work and didn't even have to apply for it, they approached me! Things are so much easier now. I feel guilty and sad for all of the people out there whose lives are so hard. I know how it is because I was one of them. I must say again that this surgery is the best thing I've ever done for myself!!!! I'm just now thinking about looking into having a tummy tuck. I know it's going to be expensive, but it will be well worth it!! I'll update more later! TTFN
6/13/04 - Today I hit the century mark + 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've lost 101 lbs. I NEVER thought it would be possible!! I feel awesome! Still doing Atkins. Have had a couple of rough spots with it, but overall it works great if I stick to it. I've been SO serious about it! Not even a BITE of anything that's not allowed! Atkins has great alternatives for sweets! They're expensive, but they're made with Splenda and are the next best thing to ice cream! I eat an Atkins protein bar mid morning, either a salad or some sort of meat for lunch, an Atkins candy or nuts for a snack, and meat for dinner. After dinner I have one of the Atkins ice cream bars and that satisfies me for the rest of the night. I can't believe how well this diet works! I'm dating a few people right now, and last week I think I may have found a very good candidate! ON CLOUD NINE!!!!!!!!
BTW, think it's time to start looking for a plastic surgeon. Tummy Tuck time!
9/8/04 – So far I’ve lost 107 lbs!!! Things are going great! I feel great!! I stopped doing Atkins because I got really burned out. Thought I’d take a break for a couple of weeks, but I’m still losing a little bit of weight and I’m not even trying. I was going to the gym but haven’t gone in the last month. Really need to get back there. Still thinking about the tummy tuck and may get a breast lift also. I’ve called a couple of places to get a consultation but haven’t gone in yet. I’ve met the man of my dreams and we’re thinking about buying a house together. This surgery is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself!! Until next time…………….
5/20/05 - It's been a long time! A lot has happened! In March of this year my boyfriend proposed! We bought a house together in February, and are getting married in the back yard in November!
On May 3rd I had a tummy tuck, breast lift and implants, and liposuction on my outter thighs and under my chin. Recovery has been rough, but I'm healing up nicely for the most part.
My gastric bypass doctor is pleased with my progress. He's a little concerned that I may revert back to my old ways and gain some of the weight back. To tell you the truth, I'm a little concerned too. I don't track anything I eat at all. I just stop eating when I'm full and don't eat too much of things that make me sick like sweets. I've maintained my weight and have actually lost 3 pounds in the last year so I think things are going fine. I still take my vitamins faithfully because if I don't I get sick.
Until next time.......
Pre surgical weight at Dr. Zahn's office 254
6/10/2003 237
7/11/2003 220
8/9/2003 211
9/11/2003 205
10/5/2003 198
11/6/2003 190
12/6/2003 182
1/6/2004 174
2/4/2004 169
3/13/2004 166
4/3/2004 166
5/14/2004 159
6/13/2004 153
5/20/2005 150
7/18/2008 148