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I got my 1 yr post op bloodwork results in a couple of wks ago and everything was perfect!!!  I can't believe how far I have come in all my lab work.  This really does work... lol.

My pre-surgery lab work showed me as dangerous cardiac risk, sky high cholesterol, tryglycerides, high risk for diabetes, and of course I had the out of control high blood pressure.  Now, I am at below average for cardiac risk!  And all my bloodwork is perfect!  I check my blood pressure regularly and it is normal - but of course it was high at Drs. - guess I have that white coat syndrome... lol.  But honestly, I checked it at work today on the machine and it was perfect.

I really am a new person!  Who would have thought being such a loser would be so great!

Well it has been 1 whole year since my surgery and I feel great!  I went to the Dr. yesterday for my annual, and I have lost 80 pounds!!!!  What a relief!

I still want to lose 20 more pounds, but my Dr. was very happy with my results already and said I had exceeded the 50% excess weightloss that they are satisfied with.

It was a wonderful weekend to mark the celebration of my 1 year of being a loser! lol.  I went to my parents house in Houston, the same place I had gone to home from the hospital.  My little Mom of course is the very best at making me feel special and she out did herself as usual!  Took me shopping for clothes - am in a size 8 jeans!!! woo hoo!!!  And she drove all the way to Bryan, TX to be with me for the annual checkup/bloodwork thing.  It was a great day and weekend!

Another highlite and special gift to me was getting back together with 2 of my best friends from high school that I had lost touch with over the past 20 years!  One of them, had even had wls recently and we didn't even know whe had been going thru this journey at the same time!!!  Life is so strange.  Anyway, it was so good to see them both.  They came over to my parent's house and then we all went out to lunch to catch up on old times and happenings in our lives after all these years.  It was one of the best weekends of my life and I know they felt the same.... Lots of laughs, venting about kids... lol, talks about failures and successes, tears and soul searching transpired.  It was very good for us all!

May 22, 2008

Well it has been a while since my last entry.  I have been very busy at work and home.  My youngest son is graduating high school the end of this month so busy trying to get the house in order for company.  Great excuse to get all those "honey-do" list items done by my hubby!

I have been doing very good.  I actually got into a real pair of jeans size 10! I was wearing elastic waist jeans size 20 before the surgery!  My husband has been after me for some time now to please stop wearing the wal-mart stretch jeans and get some real ones... lol.  So after I bought my last pair of stretch waist, no-zipper, no pocket jeans - size 8/10, I vowed to get real ones next time - and to my surprise I fit nicely into a size 10 after finding the 12s were too big! and I could probably have gone to 9s...  WOO HOO!  Hubby was very happy about it and I just love them!

I also, had to finally break down and get some new bras!  I cannot believe how hard this can be.  I was wearing a 44 B and am now in a 38 B and just moved to the middle notch from the last one.  It's a great feeling to be able to look good in a bra again. 

AND, I am out of the PLUS sizes!  Down to a Large in shirts and since it is getting very hot now, time to get rid of the big long sleeve tops I am wearing and get smaller and cooler tops for summer!  I love to shop now!

Yesterday we had a diversity day event at work and since I had moved across the street to a new building back at Christmas, I had not seen some of these folks since then... so they were really shocked to see me almost 70 pounds lighter for the first time!  It felt great getting all the nice compliments. And then when I got home, my husband even said I looked cute in my little tshirt and jeans, so that was a nice finish to a great day!

I am down to about 166 now.  I eat a lot more things... only a ton less than before and I really feel good about it.  The only complaints I have are that of course I am starting to see some sagging skin... ugh and the worse... my hair has really been falling out bad.  The good news is that the hair is coming in already and more of it... so maybe I won't go bald and at least it is all over and not in just one spot on top of my head.  Friends I have told have said they can't tell.

I also feel a bit tired now, but that is probably cuz we are so busy at work and I am not getting the sleep I should... I am kind of an insomniac and have a hard time getting myselft to go to bed early.  I've also been a little bad about the caffeine - been drinking a cup of coffee about 4 x a week now.  I still drink water and crystal light a lot so, think I am ok.

I still have a hard time getting enough protein, so need to work on that more.  Other than these issues, the weight is still coming off regularly - alot slower, but still going down instead of up!

March 13, 2008

Well it is March now and been a while since I last posted in my journal.  I am down to about 175 with the old scales here at work.  Am curious to know what my weight is though with those special body mass scales they have at the doctor's and my support group place.  They tend to be a little less than the ones here at work.  Overall, I feel really great and get lots of great feedback from my family - mostly my kids, grandmother, parents and aunt.  Several of my co-workers and one dear friend at work have really started to say I look great which means a lot to me.

Strangely, out of all the compliments I hear, the one whom I would really like to hear how good I look is from my husband.  I know he is pleased and everytime someone says something about how great I look, he always says, yeah doesn't she... but that is not the same as him taking the initiative to actually look me in the eyes and say something wonderful to make me feel like I used to when we first met 25 years ago!  Maybe he is afraid to say something in fear that I would be upset that by saying so, it would make it sound like he didn't think I looked good before.... Who knows.   I think I am going to have to talk to him about it though and ask him why he never takes the initiative.

Anyway, other than that ... I feel pretty damn good.  Especially when I heard my daughter say that her boyfriend's 28 year old brother said I was hot! LOL! My soon-to-be 6 year old granddaughter heard this and was quick to tell her McDad (my hubby) about it... which made him smile to hear her tattle like that.

I got that bad flu last month and then some bad allergy problems, which brought a halt to my exercising.... ugh.  I really need to get back on track there as my weight loss has started to slow down and I am sure that would really do the trick to speed it back up.

I also have noticed my appetite is in full-swing again and sometimes I get a little sad that I can't just binge at our family get togethers with all my kids.  I miss being able to eat a lot of bar bq and all the fixings.... but the payoff is definitely worth it!

Only 40 more pounds to go! woo hoo!  Can't believe I have less than 1/2 to go now... it is a miracle.

Jan 14 2008 - Today I went for my 3 mos post op and weighed 187!  The nurse said she could not believe that I was 45.... that made me feel so good.  And the Dr. said  "you really do look great"...  I had to get labwork done and was dreading the mulitple sticks... I went in there with a positive attitude and not trying to knock interns, I had to tell the intern that was going to draw my blood that I would rather have someone more experienced due to me being such a bad stick. She was very understanding and grateful I told her.  And  ta...da....  The tech who had to get another to help her last time, found it right where I told her the hospital told me to go from now on.  Only one stick and no blow outs!!!!  Praise God!!!!!

My clothes are really hanging off of me now and I have had to buy some smaller shirts.  I had already bought some smaller pants over the holidays - 12/14 stretch denim jeans, but now they are really big in the legs and kind of having to pull them up after wearing them a couple of hours.  The only bad thing about the loss, is that it is affecting my breast size.... ugh.  I was not that big to begin with so now without the extra padding :-) I am looking a lot smaller.  So that is going to be my next buy - a smaller bra.  And you can always count on your kids to be so honest.  My youngest daughter (14) commented with "Mom are you getting flatchested?"  Other than that... I am doing really good I think.

Jan 21 2008 - I have been doing an aerobics video routine now for about a week - Turbo Jam.  I am only doing the Learn and Burn one until I feel comfortable enough to venture into the regular more intense session, but it feels good to do them and I get a real workout fast.  I also started doing some strength training with weights so hope this will boost my weight loss even more and give me more energy.

I have some days where I feel really fat, but mostly when I pass a mirror... I still have to smile at the changes.  I actually wore my hair up in a pony tail when we went out shopping last weekend.  My oldest daughter (22) is always so good at telling me how great I look when I see her - so she was really sincere and enthused to see me in a ponytail... she had never seen me in one.  And my youngest daughter thought I looked like a teen with my hair up in a pony tail.  I have worn my hair long and in my face for so long because I felt it hid my chubby face... but now I am noticing the smaller face with more contouring from the loss and it is making me feel like I did before I gained all my weight.  It is a very good feeling.

The only sad thing that makes me depressed is that I waited so long and now my skin is starting to wrinkle - especially since it is winter and it being so dry all the time.  ugh. But that is hindsight... so being positive... I am glad I did not wait any longer.

I am not the best regular poster... sorry... but do try to post at regular milestones.  I am really posting to keep a journal for myself on how I change mentally and physically, and if someone reads it and gets inspired to do the surgery, I hope my story helps them.... I would do the surgery 100 times again ....  it is life changing!

Dec 3 - Went for my 6 wk post op today and I lost 5 more llbs - which puts me at 199!  I am finally officially out of the 200s forever!!! It has been about 14 years!  Feels great!

That was the good news.... the bad news is that I have had a torn up stomach now for a week!  Everything goes right thru me and I feel very week, so Dr made me go and give a stool sample - YUCK  - to see if maybe my good bacteria was depleted or something and said he wanted me back in a week. 

Dec 4 - The nurse called me today to tell me the test came back ok.  No one is sick in my family, so it must have been something I have eaten that has torn me up.  I do feel much better today and have finally gone all day so far without an episode - that is a relief, but I still feel weak.

Nov 18 - Went to my first support group mtg and got weighed!!!  I was shocked to see 204!  I've lost 29 pounds in a month - it is a miracle!

Nov 4 - I can't believe I have waited this long to post after surgery, guess it is finally hitting me that there is no turning back now and what is done is done.  I have no regrets so far.  Here is a recap on surgery til now:

Oct 16 - Preregistered at the hospital and had my pre-op with my dr. - that all went ok.

Oct 17 - Drank the awful bowel prep after work - Yuck!  Also followed the all clear liquid diet.

Oct 18 - Hubby and I drove to Bryan early morning to be there at 6 AM.  Got in and of course the first thing is to undress and get ready for the IV ordeal.  And when I say ordeal, I mean ORDEAL.  I inherited my grandfather's deep and finicky veins.... and NO it is not because I am 100 pouds overweight, although I know that does not help :-)  This is my 16th surgery - had 10 bone surgeries from age 2 - 17 and I was not obese then and still had the problem.  But it has gotten worse with the rest of the 5 surgeries (4 c-secs and all in one hysterectomy / gallbladder/ append) and this last one was the very worst.  They stuck me 8 times and 4 people were working on both hands - it was awful.  Everyone including my husband and I were wrecks!  My husband and I were both crying and finally some staff Dr. who had been brought in said they would have to do a central line in my collar bone.... I had never had that before and remember that is what my grandfather had to have when he had his heart bypass and ended up with a stroke in recovery, so I was ready to walk at that point.  I looked at my husband and said "I don't want to do this" and everyone in the whole room stopped abruptly.  The staff dr. explained to me that I did not have to go on, but wanted to know why so I told him about my grandfather and he said that he did not believe that was what caused my grandfather's stroke and that it would be safe and they would put me to sleep first, so after a big gulp, I agreed.  So they found a vein on top of my foot and started an IV they used for babies and that is all I remembered until recovery.

Recovery was ok - 100 times better than c-sections and hysterectomy! And I was back in my room in no time.  The nurses were impressed on how well I was moving... but like I said this was a walk in the park compared to the other ab surgeries I had had.

After a couple of hours and many drips of morphine (I am sure), I got up with my husband and we walked the hall really well!  I was able to go the restroom on my own and everything.  It was easy too especially with the IV in my collarbone (I hardly even noticed it was there).  The only thing missing were those wonderful ice chips!!!  Had to wait til after the swallow study the next morning.  My husband spent the night in the chair bed, so I felt really good.

The next morning they came and got me for the swallow study - drank a small amount of yellow stuff and got an xray.  Everything was great, except for the yellow stuff - not the first thing I wanted to drink after surgery, but I knew it was my ticket to ice chips!!!

Around 11 AM, my sweet Mom came in from Houston and relieved my husband so he could go back to our family.  I was going home with her for a while to recover, while my husband had to get back to our home about 60 miles the opposite way to our 2 remaining kids at home.

I spent all day there with my Mom, took a shower, and then later that evening around dinner time, I sipped a few things off the clear liquid dinner tray.  The nurse came in and took out the sutures from my central line IV (not bad at all compared to hand type) and then I walked a bit more all over. My Mom was really surprised.  We left around dusk and got to my parent's around 8:30 PM.   I was so glad my grandmother was still there from Fort Worth, we are really close.  My Dad and Brother were also there to greet me.

After the morphine wore off and I was on the liquid pain stuff, things got a little overwhelming.  But my dear sweet mother took such good care of me that everything went pretty smoothe, and my grandmother was such good company and moral support.  I could not have done the first week without them.  My oldest son (25) dropped by later (he lives in Houston) and it was great seeing him.

Oct 22 - Had my laptop so checked in at work from Mom's and did a few things in my Inbox.  I had planned on going back to work by Tuesday, the 23rd.... HA HA HA HA.  I was so unrealistic.  Although I am a veteran hospital patient and this had not been the worse pain.... it was still not as minor as I thought.  I had some pain still and was very emotional, not to mention that 4 days out of the week I have to work in the office which is a 100 mile/day commute and there was no way I could do it at that point - IBM is a very big site to navigate around.  So I had to tell my supervisor who had no idea I had surgery since I took 2 days of vacation for the surgery and hospital right at the weekend, thinking I would be back in on Tuesday :-)  She was very understanding and told me I did not have to tell her what type of surgery and just to take it easy and get better.  It was embarrassing, but also a relief to get that out of the way.

I started walking 10 mins 2x/day at my Mom's, then by Wednesday, I was up to 15 mins 2x/day which was an accomplishment since I could barely walk from the parking garage to the office without collapsing before my surgery.  I had also gone from 2 oz to 4 oz of food now at a time and had not been sick once!  I feel lucky that I can tell when I am full and have been following the clear liquids to pureed perfectly without fail and without nausea. Those education classes and binder the St Joseph Weightloss Surgical Center gave me have been lifesavers.

Oct 23 - My Aunt came from Ft. Worth to see me and pickup my grandmother - It was very hard to see her go.... she is not your typical 82 year old grandmother.... she acts 60 and is the sweetest and most encouraging person I know other than my mother (her daughter).  We hugged and cried and off she went with my Aunt.

Oct 25 (1 week post op) - My husband came to get me that night to take me back home.  It was a very emotional time.  I hugged my Mom for a good while and we both cried and cried in front of my Dad, Brother and Husband.  Don't know what they were all thinking.... but I was thinking how grateful I was to my Mother for all she did for me that week and how hard and different is was going to be without her now.... it was very very sad to go.  There was NO WAY I COULD HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT HER!  I cried all the way back home (115 miles away).  I went from being a princess to being wife and Mom.... (I got a little spoiled I guess).

Back home the house was a mess, my youngest daughter (8th grader) was grouchy, my youngest son (highschool SR) had strep throat and was a wreck, and my oldest daughter (22) was wanting me to already do business flyers and cards!!!  Everything fell apart while I was gone, so had to start bucking up and getting back to reality fast.  My son stayed home the next day again from school and since the cable guy to hook up high speed internet was coming and the home office was still not ready and a mess, we got to work straightening it up with the rest of the house.  Talk about reality!!!  I held back my tears and turned into the Mom who was there to save the day and we got it all done and then he drove me to the pharmacy so we could get his stronger prescriptions from the clinic.  The next few days were rough coping and adjusting.  A lot more tears and fears, but I got through it with God and family /friend prayers I know...

Oct 29 - Worked from home and it was not bad at all.  Mondays are always my slow days and that is why I work from home.  I am a graphics and web designer.

Oct 30 - Back to work!  This was my first drive since before surgery.  The 50 miles in was not bad.  My dear friend, D, at work gave me a hug and said she could really tell that I had lost weight and thought it was probably about 20 pounds.  I said I did not think so.... :-)  My friend from downstairs, K, had decorated my office in a "Diva in training" theme with pink feather boas, a pink crown, pink little kid's purse with kid jewelry, a pillow that said "diva in training" and a picture of Fezz from "That 70s Show" with pink feathers around. LOL!!!  The girls also gave me a card! It was hillarious and fun and I felt so glad I was back among friends again.  My office mate, D,  who had predicted the 20 pound loss, said she would walk with me every day if I wanted and so we have been - the weather is great in Austin right now.

Nov 2 (2 weeks post op) - Went that morning for post op Dr. visit.  So 60 miles to Bryan and then finally got on the scales - I had lost 17 pounds in 2 weeks!!! I was shocked!  The Dr. seemed rushed, I guess they were busy, but he did say everything was looking good, but then was not too happy that I had not been taking my pepcin.... uh oh.  Thought it was just for heartburn and did not realize it was to prevent preforated ulcer!!!!  So got right on that when I got back home... at least I am only 2 weeks out.  Then I drove 60 miles back home, ate fast, took pepcin and hit the road again for the next 50 miles to work..... by the time I was done with dr. and work I had driven 220 miles!!!

That night I came home, grabbed another bite to eat, showered and headed off to meet my husband and 5 yr old granddaughter at my son's homecoming game!  Whew!  We won and my son got voted Cheerleader Bo, as the best looking and most popular of the players..... he got a rose and as soon as they got pics, he walked over to my granddaughter at the railing and handed her the rose.  She thought she queen of the day and the crowd all went "Awwww" - it was very touching and just made my day!

Nov 3 - Went on shopping spree all day with hubby and granddaughter. I have not seen my dear gg in 3 weeks!!! So was glad to spend time with her.  We shopped for 7 hours!!!  I was exhausted by the time I got home and really feel the downs of the surgery now cuz we would usually have gone out to eat somewhere fun, but I was just not hungry (nevery am) and was afraid to go anywhere to eat cuz there just does not seem to be safe things out at this time.  Need to explore this further :-) for next time.

Nov 4 - My oldest daughter (22) came to get our granddaughter and we spent some time together along with my youngest daughter (who has overcome her grouchiness and has been a great help).  It was a nice weekend all and all.  Everyone is starting to comment on the 17+ pound loss.  My girls are really good about it... But you know guys - it takes them a while sometimes. :-)

My husband, I can tell, already has mixed emotions about the whole thing.  He was against it for such a long time, but was very supportive when I said firmly "I'm doing it"...  Now that it is done and I am safe, I think he is happy about that and about the shrinking me, but he seems a bit insecure too about the future.  We have been through thick and thin with 5 kids and 2 grandkids - all kinds of kid crisis' and have been together thorugh the roughest of times.  We have even been divorced briefly from each other but soon remarried... we don't count that little time span apart since we really could not stay apart while we were.  He was the jealous type back then, and I can already see hints to that time.  So a little worried, but know I love him and now that we are much older and 24+ years of being married, I am sure we will get through the adjustments.  We'll see.

Anyway it has been over 2 weeks now and I am getting stronger and smaller every day!  Loving it so far!  Strange not to ever be hungry! Can't wait to see the 200s go a way, hopefully by Christmas! Woo hoo!

Oct 9, 2007 - I have done tons of research over the last several years, mainly concentrating on the lap band.  However, after going to the community lecture on WLS options and consulting with my Dr., as well as myself... I decided to go for the gastric bypass.  So far on my journey, I have done all the lab work, ekg, and psych evalation and have a surgery date of October 18, 2007!  Woo hoo!  I still have to go to the 2 education classes this Thursday and Tuesday, and then do all my pre-op. My husband, parents, family and close friends have been very supportive and loving - I feel very fortunate to have a strong support system.

Oct 12, 2007 - Completed first part of ed class, got weighed and photographed...  I am currently 232 with a bmi of 42. So far all the staff at the St. Joseph Weightloss Surgical Center in Bryan, TX are fantastic - very friendly, informative and encouraging.