maternalgamer

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Let's see - 

FIVE POUND MARKERS:
Lost 5 lbs - DONE
Lost 10 lbs - DONE
Lost 15 lbs - DONE
Lost 20 lbs - DONE - MAJOR MILESTONE
Lost 25 lbs - DONE
Lost 30 lbs - DONE - Yippee!  Called a "bootylicious woman"
Lost 35 lbs
Lost 40 lbs - MAJOR MILESTONE
Lost 45 lbs
Lost 50 lbs! - HALFWAY!!!

SIZE MARKERS:
20 - DONE
18 - DONE
16 hovering here, bras fit better, tummy and waist keeping me in this size (excess skin)
14
12

Get into new clothes for cruise
???

High school reunion in August
???

Blood sugar first thing in morning
190s - DONE
180s - DONE
170s - DONE
160s - DONE
140s
130s
120s
110s
100s

Stop taking medicines:
Actos - GONE
Zoloft - Reduced
Zetia - GONE
Crestor - working fine alone - the best ever!
Tricor
Metformin x4
Wellbutrin
Januvia

Rewards:
Haircuts and colors - DOING
Cruise clothes - DONE
New shoes

Almost 5 months now... lost 33 lbs.  I haven't been very diligent, but then again I don't eat at all like I used to.  So I guess my head is catching up slowly.

Trying to decide if my latest fill is just right or a bit too much.  I have trouble with some solids, but then again I hear the same stories from other bandsters.

I would like to get halfway by July 6 - my half year bandiversary.

I find I need to weigh daily, and get back on track with any upward creep.  I am having a harder time picking foods and compromising a bit too much.  I need more choices of drinks, is part of it.

I took a long break from the blog, but still reading OH daily.  After 3 weeks postop I started more soft and then solid foods and weight loss slowed but still lost 1 lb a week.  So by week 6 I had lost 17 lbs. YIPPEE!!!

First fill - I found out my band already had 2.5cc in it, which explains why I was feeling some restriction.  The surgeon added 2cc more - total of 4.5cc.  I have to say that I have restriction now, no question.  How  long will it last?  Not sure - people say it can change as you lose weight.

What does restriction mean for me now?  Well, I could eat crispy bacon, but a bite of egg hurt going down because I assumed it was soft and didn't chew enough.  I think it is tougher to eat in the morning, as other bandsters say.  Later in the day I could eat a child size burger patty, but not the bread.  I can't eat more than a few french fries now because they're not very soft and even when I chew well they don't feel good going down - I think bread is turning out the same way.  So "ta da"  - carb reduction!  I have not been drinking enough lately, but that's not from the fill, just lazy now that I am not on protein shakes with finding noncarbonated beverages I can stand.

I am having a bit of a hard time selecting food at the company cafeteria - portions are too big, moist protein selection is tricky.  But I do enjoy my decaf coffee with milk.  Also, I really am not eating vegetables except I had tomatoes recently.  The protein fills me up.  So I am trying to be good about the vitamins but think I need to do better.  I just hate cooking.  I need to be able to make something in a few minutes, and for no good reason I don't think of veggies microwaved that way.  I may need to go for the lean cuisine lunch approach perhaps.

So as of 6 weeks (almost 7) I have lost 22 lbs.  To celebrate my first 20 lbs I got my haircut!  (no one has noticed yet, unless I told them about the surgery and then they say my face is thinner)  No size changes, but I went from too tight 18s to loose 18s and should be in most of my 16s soon.  My next 20 lbs off will put me under 200, and probably to fitting loose 16s.

My exercise habits are still dismal however.  I need to do something but I just don't do it.  It is already a relief to not be dragging those extra 20 lbs.  However, I have sagging tummy and know that toning will be important if I want the skin elasticity to have a little help.  My boyfriend thinks I look great. but keeps telling me to exercise (he exercises every day and he doesn't like that I don't).  He's right that I should do it.

Having trouble adjusting to thick strained liquids.  I floundered over the last few days, and weight loss stalled.
I had soft foods instead of liquids again yesterday for example.  But I went out and got a magic bullet.  I just need to think "nothing that has to be chewed".

Going to the store today to pickup ingredients for the magic bullet...

On the other hand, my clothes are definitely looser - every lb down makes a difference - I am so grateful for that.

Incisions are looking pretty darn good.  Most of the crusty stuff is completely gone, new sensitive skin in place.

So... after I hit 2 weeks postop instead of reading my next phase instructions carefully I tried to remember, and I remembered wrong.  I was supposed to go onto thick liquids and semi-liquids, not to mushy foods yet.

So before I knew this I had tried: mashed potatoes, spoonful of macncheese, cocktail meatball, banh xeo (not even really a mushy but a friend brought it to my desk just for me as a thank you) - etc.  I felt like anything would go down, and indeed that is probably true.  But I can feel the band - some of this food went down slower than usual and made me question what I was doing.

And my weight loss came to a screeching halt, although I think my body was glad for a few more calories.  But now I reread the instructions more carefully and will get on track.  Mentally I went off the wagon, but I am also still very tired from working during week 2 so I need to just rest this weekend.

Anyhoo, now I am back to looking for thick liquid opportunities, buying a magic bullet today if I can find one.

Incisions - most of the scabs have come off by now, but two incisions are still not ready for that - healing still clearly.  Wearing a bra bothers me a lot because of 2 incisions where there is brand-new very sensitive skin where my bra hits under my breasts.  So I am taking my bra off the minute I get home from work, and try to not wear anything that will rub.

I have lost at least 13 lbs - and have not weighed for a few days.  This is fantastic.
My clothes fit differently already and I feel my shape changing.

A bit less double chin
A bit smaller ab profile - I can start to see my legs not just tummy!
My pants are looser
My butt is starting to reduce (I lose weight from the top down)

I have had mushies 3 x today, and 1 shake.  It is nice to eat more food again.  I was in constantly gnawing hunger, and a slight bit dizzy at times.  So I think this is better.  Just hope it's not TOO much better!

Day 2 - No pain when still.  But sore muscles - very sore neck, back, stomach muscles - awkward moving around although I did plenty of sitting and walking around.  Parents were going crazy with the projects in my house - nice of them - they recaulked my tub and cleaned spots on my rugs!  I'll have to have surgery more often - LOL.
Day 3 - one incision got a little hot and red, put heat on it and after sleeping it was much better.  Sore muscles diminished.  Really bloated - like a balloon - and the gas isn't coming out despite lots of gas-x and walking.
Day 4 - muscles a lot better.  Still bloated despite sitting and walking all day - didn't lay down until 10 at night.  Added Benefiber to liquids
Day 5 - much easier to get out of bed in the mornings now.  Incisions are scabby and stiff now, rub on clothes so I have covered them to stop the rubbing.  My biggest incision above belly button is about 1-1/2 inches long and has a lot of bruising around it, but otherwise is healing.  Still no BMs and can pass very little gas.  The bloating is the most bothersome thing right now.  My son is coming home from his Dad's today which is the first time he's seen me since surgery (age 15).  So far so good!  I have lost a few lbs.  Like I always do, I have calculated out my weight loss for the next few months if I lose at x rate per week  LOL!  This time it may be true!  Won't that be great! 

From the evening point of view:  Today I noticed some bruising around my largest incision, but there is no sign of infection.  I am definitely feeling sore muscles not from the surgery but because getting up and down is awkward and I am using different muscles!  So I hope it gets easier to get out of bed soon.  I was walking around and getting my own drinks, etc.  I really don't need much help as long as I don't move too fast.  I took a 2 hour nap mid-day but otherwise was sitting up and chatting.  My parents were here and tremendously helpful - did all kinds of great things to my house, too!  They have gone now and I am fine on my own.  Dr. Feng called today and asked a few questions to see how I was doing, and that also allowed me to ask about when driving is allowed, so that was great!  For whatever reason my weight is a few pounds heavier, probably getting more hydrated. 

Last night I slept mostly on my back.  The only time I took a pain med so far was just before I went to sleep just in case.  I woke at 5AM to pee, drank some juice, back to sleep until 8.  Getting up from laying flat is slightly ouchy, but not terrible.

Still feeling pretty darn good!  The anesthesia haze is completely gone.  Today around my incisions I see some bruising but that is to be expected.  They look good and not infected.

Funnily enough I weight more this morning than the day prior - oh well, but I'm not going to worry about it while I'm healing.  Ta ta!  Joan

After improving my approach to liquids I lost about a total of 5 lbs before surgery - not bad considering I had 1-1/2 weeks and cheated the first few days a couple of times.

I feel pretty darn good after surgery, which was at 11AM and it is now after 6PM.  I have not taking any pain meds yet.  I took a 2 hour nap when I got home after drinking a bit.  I felt much better after the nap, walking around the house and drank another 8 oz clear liquids.  I am starting to get sleepy again already!  Anesthesia wearing off...  Was able to pee, too although not much being empty.

Right out of surgery I had a bad headache - probably dehydrated.  They gave me a cup of water in the short stay unit which I was able to get down entirely gradually.

My incisions are just as planned -5 and mostly short.  Yay!

Ta Ta for now!