Kathy L.

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Thank you Angela for staying on top of me about these pics!  I needed to take them a week ago.  But, they are out there now.  And I have to say - WOW.  I can really tell a difference, especially in my face.  Wow!!

Had a good day today.  Had to go to New Bern (a litle less than 2 hours away) to work.  Got all kinds of wonderful compliments.  One guy, Mike, just looked at me in disbelief and said 'you look good'.  A few minutes later he said 'you really look good'.  I was beaming.  All of the ladies in the office had nice things to say too.  Guys are so funny.  I work with a bunch of men and a lot of them I don't see much, but talk to on the phone.  They are so funny about asking me how much I have lost.  They always just say, so, how are you doing?  I tell them I am fine, no problems and I have lost "x" amount of weight.  They said oh, well I wanted to ask but.........I'm like GO AHEAD and ask!  This is the one time in my life that I WANT people to ask how much weight I have lost!!

As a routine thing during surgery, they take a piece of your liver to biopsy (at least my doctors do that).  When I went for my 3 week follow up appt, Dr. T told me that there was some liver damage but it was all reversable with weight loss.  However, he wanted me to follow up with a liver specialist for a year to be monitored.  So that is what I did today.  Bottom line - there are 4 stages of liver disease.  Everything up until the middle of stage 4 is reversable.  I have Stage 2.  They want me to get a liver ultrasound (it's scheduled for May 12th) and they took 11 tubes of blood today (YIKES) to check my liver enzymes, sugar level, cholesterol, etc.  We went over my medical history very thoroughly and they did an exam.  I need to have a stress test too.  The reason is when you have liver disease, it can affect the heart.  I think mine is fine (and so do the doctors) but they want me to get it checked because I have a very strong family history of heart problems (my dad had his first stroke at age 37).  If the bloodwork is ok and everything else is ok, then I just follow up in 6 months.  Probably 3 to 5 years from surgery, I'll need to have another liver biopsy to verify all of the damage was reversed.

That is how eating is after GBS!  If I do what I am SUPPOSED TO DO and PAY ATTENTION to what I am eating and how much, things are great.  But when I eat too many bites, like tonight with a baked potato, it sucks!  I finally had to stick my finger down my throat and throw up.  Pure FOAM came up twice and then some potato the 3rd time.  SORRY - GROSS!  I felt better afterwards though.  Geez.  One day I will learn.  So if you are reading this and have recently had surgery - remember to eat slowly and stop right before you think you are full.  When I have days like that, life is GREAT! 

Wouldn't you know it - 9 hours after I put out my whiney post about being frustrated at not getting to 50 lbs, I went to sleep and woke up and got on the scale.  And got back off the scale and then got back on the scale.  It kept reading 300 even every time.  WOO HOO!!!!!  FINALLY!!!

At least that is what Jason would say!  Lately he keeps saying that when he gets frustrated.  Anyone know where he might have picked that up?  I'm sure from TV but I don't know where.

Anyway, I'm doing ok.  I haven't had a period in two months but have felt like I was going to start for 3 weeks so I finally went to the doctor today just to get checked out.  Long story short, it appears from her exam that my body is trying to start one, but my estrogen levels have dropped from rapid weight loss, so the body is trying but the hormones aren't there to help the process.  She checked my iron and it was 12.6 which is fine.  She took blood to check my thyroid to make sure those levels are fine.  I've just been more tired than usual lately (could be that I spend too much time on this computer at night instead of going to BED).  I've also had some swollen ankles, cramping feeling, etc.  I was told today that I am fine, but my body is still confused over losing 49 lbs in 8 weeks.

While we're on the subject, I can't figure out why I am frustrated over this weight loss, but I am.  I am thisclose to 50 lbs lost and it's driving me nuts.  I've had several "fat" days meaning that when I get dressed for work, NOTHING I put on feels good.  Yesterday was one of those days and wouldn't you know it - I was walking in the building when someone was getting out of their car.  It was someone that I know but she works in a different department at work.  She looked at me with a big surprised look and said - Girl.  You are skinny.  Ok, so I know that I am NOT "skinny" but she really made me feel good.  She didn't know about my surgery so I told her.  She asked me a lot of questions and went on and on about how good I was looking.  I guess that should teach me a lesson that I should stop worrying about those numbers on the scale.  I'm bad about learning lessons though -

Along those same lines, I keep saying that I need to stop checking the scales every day.  But I know me.  If I don't do that, I will obsess over it.  I might give it a try tomorrow.  I usually weigh in the mornings before I get in the shower.

Ok, I am going to bed now!  I need to get some extra sleep!! 

I guess I didn't really think about this being one of those "wow" moments until a little while ago.  Today I went to the mall with Ken and while we were there, we went to a jewelry store.......because I needed to get a ring guard for my engagement ring!  It has been really loose - it slids around and around my finger and has been a pain to deal with.  I thought the anniversary band on top of it would hold it down but it hasn't helped.  Now that I have the ring guard, it's perfect!  I can't believe how much smaller my finger is.  I didn't want to get it resized yet because hopefully I will be losing a lot more weight.  I'll get it done after I stabilize in my weight loss.

So...WOW!!!  Hey, that feels good!!! 

I had a good eating day today - one of those days where I didn't eat too much or too fast.  Everything went down well and no foamies or burping   It really is a matter of slowing down and listening to your body.  You have to take the time to do those things to be successful.  We went to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays.  I got the white chicken chili.  YUM!!!  I was able to eat almost the whole bowl.  I left about 3 spoonfuls.  I knew I shouldn't try to eat them - that ONE bite always gets ya!  Ken ordered chips & queso dip too.  I had two chips dipped in the queso.  No problems there either.  I actually felt NORMAL EATING IN A RESTAURANT TONIGHT!  What a great feeling!!

Well I'm typing this from a hotel room as I am on my first overnight business trip since surgery.  I'm 4 hours away from home, so we drove.  I'm traveling with a co-worker, a male.  He's someone I have known for about 18 years and have worked in the same section at work for 12 years.  He's a great guy, 10 years older than me, married, kids, very friendly.  But still.

It's been so strange for me today!  We met at the office, so I got some grits from the cafeteria and ate them on the way.  No problem there.  We ate lunch after we got to the office, with several others.  We ate Mexican and that was fine.  I had refried beans and some of the inside of a taco.  Dinner was different.  It was just the two of us.  We ate at a place called Fatz Cafe.  I SHOULD have just ordered soup.  Instead I figured my company was paying so I would get something else.  I got "Shrimp & Grits" because that was the only shrimp dish where the shrimp weren't fried.  I ate some of the shrimp and as I type this, I am burping burping burping and feeling uncomfortable.  I think it's because I ate too much and too fast.  I just felt strange, sitting there, picking at my food.  I was trying to carry on a conversation so he wouldn't feel uncomfortable and feel like I was rushing him (because I was already finished).  In other words, I didn't pay attention and now I am paying the price.  It probably all sounds strange and I can't really explain it.  I know that eating out will get better and better.  I'm just not there yet.  I wish I was by myself!  Then I would have brought some back to the room (and probably would have waited a little later to eat).  I am hoping the burping will go away soon so I can drink some water before going to bed.  Anyway, I am rambling now.  Just trying to get some thoughts out here.  Thankfully we are heading home tomorrow around 11:00.  I miss my "comfort zone" right now!

We got a babysitter and went out with some friends tonight.  This was my first time eating at one of our favorite local restaurants.  Before WLS, we would go out there with friends and have big meals with several appetizers and then go to the other side of the restaurant where the guys would play pool and the girls would talk and have several drinks.  It was a little different for me this time!!  Ken ordered ribs and I decided to have some of those as my meal.  So when it came time to order, I told the waitress I was just going to have some of his ribs.  Well she (thoughtfully) had the kitchen split up the full rack of ribs into two platters - complete with fries and slaw on each one.  No problem on that, I gave Ken the fries and slaw.  I ate about 3 ribs and that was plenty for me.  It went down fine and I waited 30 minutes to drink something (at this point I was really wanting a Diet Coke.  I have to say that diet soft drinks - not any foods - is what I miss most since surgery).  Anyway, after 30 minutes, had a SIP of water.  Uh oh.  The ribs started "sitting" on my chest at this point.  We went over to play pool and I kept burping and burping.  This wasn't as bad as before when I had "one too many" bites but I was a little uncomfortable.  Ken pointed out later that maybe the BBQ sauce had sugar in it.  I don't know if that was a problem but I don't think so because I didn't have any signs of "dumping", I just felt like it was a little stuck.  I got over that though and all was well. 

Before dinner, we went to the bar and we saw our favorite waiter/bartender, Karl.  He asked where we had been and I told him about the surgery (I am finding that I will tell anyone and everyone about it!).  He was SO NICE about it and asked me a lot of questions.  I told him that he was going to be seeing "less and less" of me when I came in.  He was excited and enthusiastic about it.  I was so glad for his reaction.  

Overall it was a fun evening with friends.  It was a little bit awkward at times (in my own mind).  I did miss partaking in everything like everyone else, but I know this is all worth it.  Besides, it won't always be like this.  One day I will be able to eat more and more variety and who knows, maybe one day I can even have a Diet Coke again.  But by this time, I'll be the skinny one who everyone wonders "Why is SHE drinking DIET Coke?".  LOL.  Can't wait!!!

Well thank goodness.  It's been a long weekend for me.  I am happy to say that I feel back to normal today!  I was able to eat again today and everything went down fine.  I am sure this was a virus going around and nothing from food I ate.  I ate most of a scrambled egg with 1/2 slice 2% cheese for breakfast, about 1/4 of a small Wendy's chili with 2 saltines for lunch, 1/3 beef soft taco and about 1/4 cup refried beans for dinner and some sugar free pudding for a snack.  I've been able to drink water today too so like I said, all is back to normal!!  Just in time for work tomorrow  Hey, on the bright side, I lost a few more lbs!!

I'm starting to feel a little better.  Thanks for everyone that has called or emailed me.  Around 12:15 today I took a Phenegran (for nausea) that was prescribed when I left the hospital.  I took it with about a tablespoon of water.  About 30 minutes later, things were WORSE!  I told Ken he was going to have to take me to the ER because I couldn't go on like this all day.

Then I threw up again.

And I started to feel better.  I still called the surgeon on call at the hospital (per my surgeon's office instructions on their answering machine).  After talking to me, he said it could be a combination of the tuna and also a stomach virus going around work.  He said that I could go 24 hours or a little more without liquids and be ok, but try small sips.  As long as I can get down small sips and I'm peeing ok, then it should pass.  

I was finally able to get some rest and have been able to sip some water and eat a SF popsicle and it's ok.  I still feel weak and unsteady but I really think this is a stomach bug more than anything.

I hate this!