tressaxoxo
My story from before till after......
Oct 13, 2006
Well, this is the beginning of my journey.....so if your reading this...let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am 29 years old and I live in Buffalo, NY. I am single (dating) and I dont have any children. I work as a college adminstrator and I received my Masters in Administration in 2004. I got the education out of the way....lol...now its time to focus on my health.
I am the oldest of 5 children and have been heavy since I was a teenager. I swear my size increased one size for every year I turned..size 14/age 14...size22/age 22..etc. It's crazy to look back on it and see the progression. But obesity doesnt happen overnight. Being the oldest was a huge burden for me, coming from a highly disfunctional home and I believe that I ate because it was the only thing I could control.
I began researching gastric bypass surgery about 2 years ago with the intention of having the procedure done before I turned 30 and before I ever became the un-cool fat mom. After a lot of research and reading, I decided to go through Dr. Joseph Caruana in Williamsville, NY. The procedure will be done at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo...very close to where I live. The surgery was approved by my insurance (community blue plus) after the first letter and surgery is scheduled for August 11th.
I am very excited about my journey and look forward to the internal growth and external shrinkage..lol. . I would appreciate any advice that you may have if you have been through the surgery yourself. Your support is appreciated!
I will do my best to keep my page updated! Thanks for reading! Take Care of yourself!
Well, here we go.......only 4 more days to go! I can't believe it! I had all of my pre-surgery screening and it was painless...not to worry. The only thing I have left this week before surgery (on thursday, the 11th) is on tuesday I have to go to a support group meeting. So, hopefully it will be informative and helpful and wont scare me to pieces! I went shopping and bought the Boost drinks with high protien..15g. I was told I need 50 grams of protien per day..not quite sure how I am going to fit that in...but I will work it out im sure. I CERTAINLY dont want my hair to fall out! GOODNESS.
As far as support, everyone has been really supportive so far and I have a close network of friends that I know I can count on. My family all lives about 1 1/2 hours away...so close friends are crucial....especially at a time like this...im glad I know who my friends are.
So, here we go...only 4 more days to go. A lady at the fitness meeting said...make sure you eat everything you love...because you may never be able to eat it again. She had the surgery in June....so..It kind of freaked me out that she said that...lol...but who knows. I will find out on my own, very soon. I have been cooking up a lot of the stuff in my cupboards and inviting my friends over to eat. Today I made brunch for 6....we had a great time...lots of laughter..the best medicine.
I got the best news ever last week. I got the actual confirmation letter that my insurance company approved the surgery and deemed it necessary for health reasons. So, I called the insurance company to ask about my Co-pay....assuming it would be 1/2 the cost of the surgery...which is $2500....and the lady on the other end of the line informed me that I have -0- co-pay for inpatient surgery! I am so thankful to GOD that everything is falling into place so wonderfully. -0-! I am so amazed and thankful! I look forward to using this tool to the best of my ability! I think this will be my last post until after my surgery on thursday...so wish me luck and look for me on the losing side! Take Care, God Bless!
Well, well, well! Here I am....home from the hospital and im SURE I shouldnt be sitting here updating my profile...but hey why not!
I had surgery on 8/11/05 and am home today the 14th. Last night was kind of rough, but thank God I made it through without climbing the walls of the hospital! I am used to being super busy and to be just laying there was driving me up the wall. I couldnt sleep, nothing was making me feel better. I finally lost it and started tearing up. I felt super emotional. These are the things that people dont really warn us about. I had to use the ladies room and because I was hooked up to an IV, I had to have help each time. This was awful! There was a point when I called 4 times and was in tears saying..." I am a grown woman, I refuse to pee on myself!" So, someone came to my "rescue" and apologized profusely. My over all stay was a 6-7 out of 10. As far as my surgeon and his team, they were wonderful. They were very consise and to the point, but they have others to see as well. I was very pleased with their "bed-side" manner. Most of my nurses were friendly, which was good too. I am feeling a little queezy..so I will go for now and write more later on! Lets start that losing process! :)
Well, Here I am back for another update! What a HUMBLING expereince this is! I live alone...so my mom agreed to come and stay with me for a week. Well, no one told me/nor did It cross my mind that I wouldnt be able to wipe myself from behind! COULD I HAVE GOT THE MEMO?? lol !!! I had my first BM and it was HUMBLING....wow....all of a sudden I just felt like one of my nephews (3 yrs old) he says auntie...im all done, can you wipe me please? So, mom leaves on friday and im hoping and praying to God that I will be healed up enough to wipe myself by then. Any ideas on this? What an awakening!
As far as how I feel, I am sore of course..have the hardest time and the most pain when I am trying to get up from the couch or trying to lay down. I dont have a recliner..so..it poses a small issue. But my apt is big enough for one..lol. So, im dealing. I have loratab (sp) elixir for pain. So that appears to be helping. And I am giving myself a Heprin (sp) shot twice at day at 10am and 10pm...to help prevent blood clots. I started taking my vitamins today..optisource...4x's a day..doesnt taste too bad either so that helps.
As far as what I am eating, I start on soft liquids tomorrow. What a concept..soft liquids. I have been on boost, apple juice, water, ice chips, and popsicles. Tomorrow I get to start the yogurt, pudding, cream of wheat and oatmeal..much more exciting. I havent really had any hunger but I did notice that when I smell things cooking..for example...my mom was cooking a bagel....I wanted a bite. I know I cant, and I wouldnt..but I did want one. And also, an emotional side to it was very evident when my best friend came over and I wanted to eat. We go out to eat together a lot. Usually at least once or twice a week. And it actually made me hungry to be around her. So strange but I realize the bond between our friendship and food. Sad but true...thank God there is more to our friendship than eating! She is having the procedure done on Sept. 21st. She just got her date today...so we will be in this together! Healing, and living and learning on the losing side!
I have an appt for blood work tomorrow and then on the 27th I believe is my first check up. So, I will be sure to post any updates regarding weight loss, any issues, etc! If you have still yet to have surgery, may your path be cleared and it be made evident that this is the right procedure for you. If you have already had it, may you be walking strong, healthy and loving life on the losing side! Hope all is well! God bless!
Well, here I am.....yesterday was my 30th birthday! And it just happened to be the first day that I could try regular food (had surgery on the 11th) ! So, we (bunch of girlfriends and I) still went out to dinner and to the movies to celebrate my big day! I took my 3oz dixie cup along in my purse and measured out some salmon and some mashed potatoes into and asked for a to go carton for the rest. It worked out great. And nothing made me sick. I wasnt bold enough to try anything sweet....lol.....in time. As of today 8/24/05 I have not expereinced the "dumping syndrome" yet...and I am GLAD! Tomorrow is my first check up since my surgery and I am excited to see how much I have lost. It will be 2 weeks since I had my surgery on my check up date.
It has been a pretty smooth ride except for a couple bumps....one would be waking up with an awful rash on my stomach from where I was injecting the Heprin shots. I called the DRs office and he told me I could stop injecting them. That was about 4 days ago and I still have the rash...cute....real cute. lol. Then the next day after that I woke up with this weird rash on my tongue...and my mom was staying with me and I asked her what it was and she suggested I had what babies get..THRUSH. So, I looked it up on-line and sure enough...it is common in gastric bypass patients due to a lack of nutrients and food. So, I called the on-call person and got a script for some THRUSH medicine which I have to gargle for a week. Fun Fun. Could be worse, im staying positive!
ON the sunny side, I have noticed small changes in my clothing and the way it fits as well as last night...a pair of shoes I was going to wear was too wide....!!!! I couldnt believe it! I was so SHOCKED but HAPPY! So, things are looking up! Oh, and I measured my incision and it is exactly 4 1/2 inches long. It looks pretty good. I am going to ask if I can start putting the good old cocoa butter on it soon. Anyways, I will close for now...but will have an update on thursday! Have a great day!
P.S. I found this website today....it is very interesting...check it out. It's called Pouch Rules for Dummies!
www.myjourneytothelight.com/PouchRules/PouchRules.html
Well, I had my 2 week post op appt yesterday and guess what! I am down 29 lbs! SO I am very excited about that! My next appt is I think October 6th. The nurse said I am healing well and that my incision looks good as well as my drainage hole. So, I was glad to hear that. I got clearance for driving, light physical activity and I am able to try whatever as far as eating as long as I stay within the 3oz range. I have been using a dixie cup and that has been so helpful and easy to toss in my purse...especially when going places. SO, things are slowly getting back to normal. Monday I am going back to work...on light duty. So, I pray that I can handle everything well and make it through the day comfortably!
Hello, Hello! Things are going pretty well for the most part. On Thursday I was 4 weeks post op, and I have lost a total of 45 lbs!!! I had a DR appt to choose a method of birth control because I will be EXTRA fertile now because of the weight loss. And I chose Mirena, an IUD that is 99.999% effective and last for 5 years. The best part is that once you choose to take it out, you can start trying to get pregnant the next month. It isnt like other forms where you may not get pregnant for a year. So, once I am ready (hopefully within the next 5 years, Lord willing) I will be able to start trying. :)
So, I have only been sick twice so far as far as dumping. I got sick from some peaches because they were in light syrup and it was too much sugar for me to handle and from trying to eat 1/2 a grilled cheese. The sandwich had that awful spray that they put on the bread at restaurants. It was too greasy and it made me vomit. So, I am thankful that it only happened twice so far in 4 weeks! Praise God!
Things are changing, theres more room between me and the steering wheel, more room in my pants, and less tummy sticking out. People are noticing and its great. I feel good. I am looking into joining the YMCA next week and starting water walking and water aerobics. I am excited to start!
If you have any questions for me or if I can help you along on your weight loss journey in some way...let me know! I will do my best to try and help you along! Until next time! Hugs!
Well, here I am back again and almost 8 weeks out. I havent been weighed in a while...but as far as I know I have lost 50lbs so far....which is fabulous~! Just wanted to update on the MIRENA IUD I chose...it went badly! I had the MIRENA inserted on thursday and the pain was AWFUL. I was extremely uncomfortable and I actually saw STARS while they were inserting it. I was told this was because I have never had any children etc. Well, it was awful and it progressed from there. The pain did not change. I went home, hoping it would change...but it didnt. I tried going to work the next day and could only stand it for 2 hours. I called the DR and told him what was going on and he said to come in at 1. I went in, they gave me an ultrasound and found out that my body was trying to PUSH IT OUT. It was rejecting it. So, it caused me to have contractions type cramping. So, needless to say I got it removed that day and got a prescription for the Nuvoring. So, now I am using that. So far there have been no issues with it...but hey its only been like 5 hours..lol. I will keep those of you looking for a good birth control method after surgery posted. Just an FYI: those of you considering the patch...I did my research and it is MOST effective for those women who weigh less than 180lbs. PLEASE consider this before you choose the patch. For those over 180, it is like 70 percent effective. And that isnt good enough for me.
So, I have my 8 week check up this thursday...so I will keep you all updated on how that is going. I feel good and havent had any big issues yet. I started working out at the YMCA a couple weeks ago and have been doing a water kickboxing class 3 times a week. I am feeling stronger and healthier each day. Some days I am sore...but that is to be expected. The differences in the way my clothes fit and feel are amazing. I cant wait until these size 26/28 jeans fall off me. You'd think 50 lbs would do it...but nope. Soon, soon. I am going home this weekend for the first time since my surgery...I am curious to see if my family sees any difference in the way I look.
Anyways, I will close for now. Any questions, just email me! Take Care.
Well, hello..hello. It has been a few weeks since I last wrote. I am 11 weeks out and down a total of 64 lbs. I am currently working out at the YMCA 3 days a week doing water aerobics and water kickboxing and having a great time! I packed away a 40 gallon tote of clothes that I can no longer wear and have brought out the clothes that were too tight and not so flattering...lol. So, things are going pretty well. I am feeling good and people are beginning to notice the physical changes. I increased my eating like the nurse said with 3 snacks added to my 3 meals a day and the weight loss has been a little faster. Go figure, the nurse was right. lol. I added string cheese snacks, egg salad on a couple crackers, and some yogurt. It is funny how one day you can toleratre something and then the next day it makes you sick to your stomach. The learning process is sometimes the hardest...but well worth it! So, until next time....if you have any questions feel free to email me! Take Care, Tressa
So, I am almost 16 weeks out and am down 78 lbs as of last monday. I had to buy a few new things...size 22/24...so that felt pretty good! I was wearing 28's and actually had one pair of jeans that were a 30. So, things are going well...and I am feeling good too. I dont have another check up until January. Thanksgiving wasnt really as hard as I thought it was going to be. I made it through as far as the meal went....had a hard time emotionally though because my grampa's funeral was the day before thanksgiving. Pray for my grama for strength for the days ahead. She is going to have a hard time.
So, I used to think...I wish people would update more! But now I see how quickly time flys by! Today is March 15th and I had my surgery on August 11th. So, it has been officially 7 months since my surgery and I have lost about 100 lbs so far and I have about 86 more to get to my goal. My sizes are fluctuating between an 18/20 in tops and a 22/24 in pants. I was wearing a 28/30 in everything. Even my feet and hands have shrunk....I was wearing a size 11 shoe and now I am wearing a 9 1/2 and I was wearing a size 10 or 11 ring and now I am wearing an 8 1/2. SO, thats pretty cool.
As far as medical issues from the surgery, I have been pretty blessed in that area. I have had some hair loss and have cut all my long hair off. It was getting thin and didnt look nice..so I had to do it. My levels are good except for my b-12 levels. I have to take an extra b-12 vitamin everyday and get a b-12 shot once per month at my primary care physician and hopefully that will help resolve the deficiency. Other than that, I am doing well. I have no regrets about the surgery and would go through it all again.
Some of the coolest things...are fitting behind the steering wheel comfortably..sitting in booths in restaurant without wondering if im going to fit, and sitting in those little car driving virtual games at Adventure Landing. Its funny the things we come to appreciate! :)
Well, if you have any questions that I can help with, let me know! Take Care and see you on the losing side! Tressa
Future Update
Future Update
Photos
I am the oldest of 5 children and have been heavy since I was a teenager. I swear my size increased one size for every year I turned..size 14/age 14...size22/age 22..etc. It's crazy to look back on it and see the progression. But obesity doesnt happen overnight. Being the oldest was a huge burden for me, coming from a highly disfunctional home and I believe that I ate because it was the only thing I could control.
I began researching gastric bypass surgery about 2 years ago with the intention of having the procedure done before I turned 30 and before I ever became the un-cool fat mom. After a lot of research and reading, I decided to go through Dr. Joseph Caruana in Williamsville, NY. The procedure will be done at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo...very close to where I live. The surgery was approved by my insurance (community blue plus) after the first letter and surgery is scheduled for August 11th.
I am very excited about my journey and look forward to the internal growth and external shrinkage..lol. . I would appreciate any advice that you may have if you have been through the surgery yourself. Your support is appreciated!
I will do my best to keep my page updated! Thanks for reading! Take Care of yourself!
Well, here we go.......only 4 more days to go! I can't believe it! I had all of my pre-surgery screening and it was painless...not to worry. The only thing I have left this week before surgery (on thursday, the 11th) is on tuesday I have to go to a support group meeting. So, hopefully it will be informative and helpful and wont scare me to pieces! I went shopping and bought the Boost drinks with high protien..15g. I was told I need 50 grams of protien per day..not quite sure how I am going to fit that in...but I will work it out im sure. I CERTAINLY dont want my hair to fall out! GOODNESS.
As far as support, everyone has been really supportive so far and I have a close network of friends that I know I can count on. My family all lives about 1 1/2 hours away...so close friends are crucial....especially at a time like this...im glad I know who my friends are.
So, here we go...only 4 more days to go. A lady at the fitness meeting said...make sure you eat everything you love...because you may never be able to eat it again. She had the surgery in June....so..It kind of freaked me out that she said that...lol...but who knows. I will find out on my own, very soon. I have been cooking up a lot of the stuff in my cupboards and inviting my friends over to eat. Today I made brunch for 6....we had a great time...lots of laughter..the best medicine.
I got the best news ever last week. I got the actual confirmation letter that my insurance company approved the surgery and deemed it necessary for health reasons. So, I called the insurance company to ask about my Co-pay....assuming it would be 1/2 the cost of the surgery...which is $2500....and the lady on the other end of the line informed me that I have -0- co-pay for inpatient surgery! I am so thankful to GOD that everything is falling into place so wonderfully. -0-! I am so amazed and thankful! I look forward to using this tool to the best of my ability! I think this will be my last post until after my surgery on thursday...so wish me luck and look for me on the losing side! Take Care, God Bless!
Well, well, well! Here I am....home from the hospital and im SURE I shouldnt be sitting here updating my profile...but hey why not!
I had surgery on 8/11/05 and am home today the 14th. Last night was kind of rough, but thank God I made it through without climbing the walls of the hospital! I am used to being super busy and to be just laying there was driving me up the wall. I couldnt sleep, nothing was making me feel better. I finally lost it and started tearing up. I felt super emotional. These are the things that people dont really warn us about. I had to use the ladies room and because I was hooked up to an IV, I had to have help each time. This was awful! There was a point when I called 4 times and was in tears saying..." I am a grown woman, I refuse to pee on myself!" So, someone came to my "rescue" and apologized profusely. My over all stay was a 6-7 out of 10. As far as my surgeon and his team, they were wonderful. They were very consise and to the point, but they have others to see as well. I was very pleased with their "bed-side" manner. Most of my nurses were friendly, which was good too. I am feeling a little queezy..so I will go for now and write more later on! Lets start that losing process! :)
Well, Here I am back for another update! What a HUMBLING expereince this is! I live alone...so my mom agreed to come and stay with me for a week. Well, no one told me/nor did It cross my mind that I wouldnt be able to wipe myself from behind! COULD I HAVE GOT THE MEMO?? lol !!! I had my first BM and it was HUMBLING....wow....all of a sudden I just felt like one of my nephews (3 yrs old) he says auntie...im all done, can you wipe me please? So, mom leaves on friday and im hoping and praying to God that I will be healed up enough to wipe myself by then. Any ideas on this? What an awakening!
As far as how I feel, I am sore of course..have the hardest time and the most pain when I am trying to get up from the couch or trying to lay down. I dont have a recliner..so..it poses a small issue. But my apt is big enough for one..lol. So, im dealing. I have loratab (sp) elixir for pain. So that appears to be helping. And I am giving myself a Heprin (sp) shot twice at day at 10am and 10pm...to help prevent blood clots. I started taking my vitamins today..optisource...4x's a day..doesnt taste too bad either so that helps.
As far as what I am eating, I start on soft liquids tomorrow. What a concept..soft liquids. I have been on boost, apple juice, water, ice chips, and popsicles. Tomorrow I get to start the yogurt, pudding, cream of wheat and oatmeal..much more exciting. I havent really had any hunger but I did notice that when I smell things cooking..for example...my mom was cooking a bagel....I wanted a bite. I know I cant, and I wouldnt..but I did want one. And also, an emotional side to it was very evident when my best friend came over and I wanted to eat. We go out to eat together a lot. Usually at least once or twice a week. And it actually made me hungry to be around her. So strange but I realize the bond between our friendship and food. Sad but true...thank God there is more to our friendship than eating! She is having the procedure done on Sept. 21st. She just got her date today...so we will be in this together! Healing, and living and learning on the losing side!
I have an appt for blood work tomorrow and then on the 27th I believe is my first check up. So, I will be sure to post any updates regarding weight loss, any issues, etc! If you have still yet to have surgery, may your path be cleared and it be made evident that this is the right procedure for you. If you have already had it, may you be walking strong, healthy and loving life on the losing side! Hope all is well! God bless!
Well, here I am.....yesterday was my 30th birthday! And it just happened to be the first day that I could try regular food (had surgery on the 11th) ! So, we (bunch of girlfriends and I) still went out to dinner and to the movies to celebrate my big day! I took my 3oz dixie cup along in my purse and measured out some salmon and some mashed potatoes into and asked for a to go carton for the rest. It worked out great. And nothing made me sick. I wasnt bold enough to try anything sweet....lol.....in time. As of today 8/24/05 I have not expereinced the "dumping syndrome" yet...and I am GLAD! Tomorrow is my first check up since my surgery and I am excited to see how much I have lost. It will be 2 weeks since I had my surgery on my check up date.
It has been a pretty smooth ride except for a couple bumps....one would be waking up with an awful rash on my stomach from where I was injecting the Heprin shots. I called the DRs office and he told me I could stop injecting them. That was about 4 days ago and I still have the rash...cute....real cute. lol. Then the next day after that I woke up with this weird rash on my tongue...and my mom was staying with me and I asked her what it was and she suggested I had what babies get..THRUSH. So, I looked it up on-line and sure enough...it is common in gastric bypass patients due to a lack of nutrients and food. So, I called the on-call person and got a script for some THRUSH medicine which I have to gargle for a week. Fun Fun. Could be worse, im staying positive!
ON the sunny side, I have noticed small changes in my clothing and the way it fits as well as last night...a pair of shoes I was going to wear was too wide....!!!! I couldnt believe it! I was so SHOCKED but HAPPY! So, things are looking up! Oh, and I measured my incision and it is exactly 4 1/2 inches long. It looks pretty good. I am going to ask if I can start putting the good old cocoa butter on it soon. Anyways, I will close for now...but will have an update on thursday! Have a great day!
P.S. I found this website today....it is very interesting...check it out. It's called Pouch Rules for Dummies!
www.myjourneytothelight.com/PouchRules/PouchRules.html
Well, I had my 2 week post op appt yesterday and guess what! I am down 29 lbs! SO I am very excited about that! My next appt is I think October 6th. The nurse said I am healing well and that my incision looks good as well as my drainage hole. So, I was glad to hear that. I got clearance for driving, light physical activity and I am able to try whatever as far as eating as long as I stay within the 3oz range. I have been using a dixie cup and that has been so helpful and easy to toss in my purse...especially when going places. SO, things are slowly getting back to normal. Monday I am going back to work...on light duty. So, I pray that I can handle everything well and make it through the day comfortably!
Hello, Hello! Things are going pretty well for the most part. On Thursday I was 4 weeks post op, and I have lost a total of 45 lbs!!! I had a DR appt to choose a method of birth control because I will be EXTRA fertile now because of the weight loss. And I chose Mirena, an IUD that is 99.999% effective and last for 5 years. The best part is that once you choose to take it out, you can start trying to get pregnant the next month. It isnt like other forms where you may not get pregnant for a year. So, once I am ready (hopefully within the next 5 years, Lord willing) I will be able to start trying. :)
So, I have only been sick twice so far as far as dumping. I got sick from some peaches because they were in light syrup and it was too much sugar for me to handle and from trying to eat 1/2 a grilled cheese. The sandwich had that awful spray that they put on the bread at restaurants. It was too greasy and it made me vomit. So, I am thankful that it only happened twice so far in 4 weeks! Praise God!
Things are changing, theres more room between me and the steering wheel, more room in my pants, and less tummy sticking out. People are noticing and its great. I feel good. I am looking into joining the YMCA next week and starting water walking and water aerobics. I am excited to start!
If you have any questions for me or if I can help you along on your weight loss journey in some way...let me know! I will do my best to try and help you along! Until next time! Hugs!
Well, here I am back again and almost 8 weeks out. I havent been weighed in a while...but as far as I know I have lost 50lbs so far....which is fabulous~! Just wanted to update on the MIRENA IUD I chose...it went badly! I had the MIRENA inserted on thursday and the pain was AWFUL. I was extremely uncomfortable and I actually saw STARS while they were inserting it. I was told this was because I have never had any children etc. Well, it was awful and it progressed from there. The pain did not change. I went home, hoping it would change...but it didnt. I tried going to work the next day and could only stand it for 2 hours. I called the DR and told him what was going on and he said to come in at 1. I went in, they gave me an ultrasound and found out that my body was trying to PUSH IT OUT. It was rejecting it. So, it caused me to have contractions type cramping. So, needless to say I got it removed that day and got a prescription for the Nuvoring. So, now I am using that. So far there have been no issues with it...but hey its only been like 5 hours..lol. I will keep those of you looking for a good birth control method after surgery posted. Just an FYI: those of you considering the patch...I did my research and it is MOST effective for those women who weigh less than 180lbs. PLEASE consider this before you choose the patch. For those over 180, it is like 70 percent effective. And that isnt good enough for me.
So, I have my 8 week check up this thursday...so I will keep you all updated on how that is going. I feel good and havent had any big issues yet. I started working out at the YMCA a couple weeks ago and have been doing a water kickboxing class 3 times a week. I am feeling stronger and healthier each day. Some days I am sore...but that is to be expected. The differences in the way my clothes fit and feel are amazing. I cant wait until these size 26/28 jeans fall off me. You'd think 50 lbs would do it...but nope. Soon, soon. I am going home this weekend for the first time since my surgery...I am curious to see if my family sees any difference in the way I look.
Anyways, I will close for now. Any questions, just email me! Take Care.
Well, hello..hello. It has been a few weeks since I last wrote. I am 11 weeks out and down a total of 64 lbs. I am currently working out at the YMCA 3 days a week doing water aerobics and water kickboxing and having a great time! I packed away a 40 gallon tote of clothes that I can no longer wear and have brought out the clothes that were too tight and not so flattering...lol. So, things are going pretty well. I am feeling good and people are beginning to notice the physical changes. I increased my eating like the nurse said with 3 snacks added to my 3 meals a day and the weight loss has been a little faster. Go figure, the nurse was right. lol. I added string cheese snacks, egg salad on a couple crackers, and some yogurt. It is funny how one day you can toleratre something and then the next day it makes you sick to your stomach. The learning process is sometimes the hardest...but well worth it! So, until next time....if you have any questions feel free to email me! Take Care, Tressa
So, I am almost 16 weeks out and am down 78 lbs as of last monday. I had to buy a few new things...size 22/24...so that felt pretty good! I was wearing 28's and actually had one pair of jeans that were a 30. So, things are going well...and I am feeling good too. I dont have another check up until January. Thanksgiving wasnt really as hard as I thought it was going to be. I made it through as far as the meal went....had a hard time emotionally though because my grampa's funeral was the day before thanksgiving. Pray for my grama for strength for the days ahead. She is going to have a hard time.
So, I used to think...I wish people would update more! But now I see how quickly time flys by! Today is March 15th and I had my surgery on August 11th. So, it has been officially 7 months since my surgery and I have lost about 100 lbs so far and I have about 86 more to get to my goal. My sizes are fluctuating between an 18/20 in tops and a 22/24 in pants. I was wearing a 28/30 in everything. Even my feet and hands have shrunk....I was wearing a size 11 shoe and now I am wearing a 9 1/2 and I was wearing a size 10 or 11 ring and now I am wearing an 8 1/2. SO, thats pretty cool.
As far as medical issues from the surgery, I have been pretty blessed in that area. I have had some hair loss and have cut all my long hair off. It was getting thin and didnt look nice..so I had to do it. My levels are good except for my b-12 levels. I have to take an extra b-12 vitamin everyday and get a b-12 shot once per month at my primary care physician and hopefully that will help resolve the deficiency. Other than that, I am doing well. I have no regrets about the surgery and would go through it all again.
Some of the coolest things...are fitting behind the steering wheel comfortably..sitting in booths in restaurant without wondering if im going to fit, and sitting in those little car driving virtual games at Adventure Landing. Its funny the things we come to appreciate! :)
Well, if you have any questions that I can help with, let me know! Take Care and see you on the losing side! Tressa
Future Update
Future Update
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