stefmccool

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Well a lot has happened since I last posted.  After losing my job, I ended up moving back to the KC area (home for me) and went to Germany to be with my Mom and brother while my Grandmother passed away.  We were in the room with her at the end and it was a really wonderful experience for all of us. I will miss hearing her say my name and she (Gertrude Hascke) was a wonderful lady who lived to be 94 years old.  

I just got moved in to my new home for the next year, still without a job - - but getting unemployment for 6 months.  I am getting ready to begin 2 online classes at the same time and hopefully I will be able to get A's in both classes.

My weight is pretty good considering ALL that has gone on over the last 2 months, I am at 263lbs., so down 29lbs. from my highest.  I am planning to begin my exercising again this week and will be returning to my surgeon next week to get another fill.   

 I was fired from  my  job yesterday and I am still in shock.  Looks like now I have LOTS of time to exercise, eat right and get healthy.  I will be spending more time in God's Word also since I never seemed to make time for that either.  I have put a few pounds back on, eating more than I should.  Not sure what to do with myself now. 

 It has been almost 2 months since my surgery and I have lost 25lbs. from my highest weight!  So that is really good, and I am happy with that.  
I am no longer having headaches or heartburn and my blood pressure is really low again so I stopped my blood pressure medicine. 
I went to my surgeon's office and got a fill last week.  I got 3 cc's and it seems to help with restriction.  I am back to eating a couple of small meals a day. I need to get more exercise again, but I have been really busy with different classes I am taking at church and with my schooling online. 
I will be moving from Grapevine back to the Kansas City area next month. I am looking forward to going home and will be looking for a job when I get back there.  So please keep me in your prayers, so that I will be be able to get a job after getting settled in.  
I am going to post a picture I took yesterday, my face is starting to look smaller already.  I am also back down a size - - went from a 26/28 to a 22/24. I also wore a pair a jeans that were too tight to pull up and a shirt that was too small, so I am starting to shrink. :)   I have lost  7 1/2 inches so far.  

I had my Pre-Op visit on Wednesday, May 7th. It was easy and exciting because it is making it more real to me now. Started Optifast also on Tuesday, enough though I have not been able to just drink the shakes every day. It is really hard to stick to liquid only each day. I am praying for strength and going to work to stick to it tomorrow. Today is Mother's Day and I called my son yesterday to remind him and then he did call me today. I guess when they are 18, Mother's Day is not on the top of their priority list. It has been 20 years since I met my ex-husband and my life took a dramatic turn and I am SO thankful to God that I get this "do-over" and I get to start again. I am really looking forward to becoming healthy and whole again.

Went and saw Dr. Kim today.  He is a really nice person and answered all of the questions and concerns that I had. And He even gave me some more information that I did not ask about. 
So I am cutting out the sugar again today - so far- so good today.  Dr. Kim said that it will help him tremendously if I can lose any weight before the surgery to help shrink my liver.  So I will do that so that there will not be any problems after the surgery.  
It seems REAL now, like it is TRULY going to happen and I am getting REALLY excited about it!!

I am still really excited about my upcoming surgery. I have been trying to eat low carb to lose some weight before the 2 week liquid fast but I don't seem to be able to do that. I have been eating like crazy and of course eating all kinds of sweet foods also. I did quit smoking my occasional cigarettes too a couple of weekends ago since my Doctor's office said that they would test for nicotine at my Pre-Op blood work appt. and if you have any nicotine, they would cancel or reschedule the surgery. I definitely DO NOT want that to happen. I am really ready for this new life to begin - - excited and scared somewhat too of the "unknown". HOWEVER I do know that God is in control of my life and with His help and knowing that I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me, I will not be fearful. I continue to work on myself internally so that I will not have too many issues after the surgery when I will not be able to stuff down my emotions anymore. Looking forward to being light and healthy inside and out! :)

I got my approval!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I will be having my surgery on May 19th, 2008.  I am SO excited and ready to begin my new life.  

Since LapBand Solutions was TAKING FOREVER - - NO activity for 7 weeks for my paperwork in to my insurance, I switched. I am now working with Dr. Kim's office and glad that I did. All of my paperwork has been submitted to Cigna and I am just waiting for my approval. I really enjoy talking to Kathy at his office and I am lookng forward to getting this moving forward.

I went to my church's singles Christmas party last night. Even wearing perfume, makeup, pantyhose, a nice skirt and blouse and I STILL do not feel feminine or sexy in ANY way. I was telling my friend who went with me that I truly feel like half of Stefanie. Like I am living a life that is a shadow of what it is suppose to be. And this is ALL due to my gluttony and my failure to discipline myself to sleep well, exercise and eat healthy. I have not taken care of the temple that God has given me. And I am truly sorry for that and I am praying that God will allow me this chance to take back the control of my body and get it back to where it is suppose to be. My son and I are going to Cancun on December 20th until the 27th. I am TRULY excited about that and SO ready to get out of here and do some relaxing and soaking up some sun. I plan to do lots of reading, swimming, sleeping and getting treatments at the Spa. :)

All of my paperwork has been turned in.  Now I am just praying and waiting to hear if I will get my approval or not.  Looking forward to it and hopeful that things will go the right way.  :)