First Fill in my Band!

Had my doctors appointment today. Didn't have much weight loss since the 7th of December. Only 4 lbs. So I got a fill today on my lap band. It was the holidays that did me in. So now because I had a fill, I will have a few days on liquids again. Like I told my hubby, it will jump start the weight loss again I feel.

The fill itself was not bad at all. In fact Dr. Cywes made me laugh! I laid down on the table, he felt where my port was, said this might sting a bit (didn't really) and then said, ok here comes the worse part and then said he was done. I laugh because I said "what worse part?" Sat up, drank some water. Then I felt a bit of pressure in my throat you could say. He took a bit out of the band and that went away. Took another drink of water and the pressure was there again but not as bad. Took a bit more out and I was good then! So I am on clear liquids for 24 hours then full liquids for 2days (this is when I can have my protein shake) and then on the soft foods for 5 days. I can do this! It is going to take 3-5 fills to get me in the "Green Zone" but I can't wait to see what happens with this first fill!

The soreness around my port will go away as well as the little bump that is there. The other pain on my side is not from the band and it sounds like just from working out and the kidney stones that I had a few weeks ago. I think for the most part the kidney stones is gone!

In a few days it will be a new year. I have to say, the last few months have be great really. I committed myself to loosing this weight and changed the way I live. I feel better, look better and so for the new year I am just recommitted myself to working out, eating right and helping others if I can with their journey.

Not Cool. Not Cool at all

Short post. Yes, I partook of the Chex Puppy Chow (see my other post), but I know I didn't eat all that much. However, it seems I put on a little weight back on! UGH! It has been hard on me to work out like I use to ever since surgery. First it was the surgery, then the Kidney Stones that seems to have left a dull ache on that side ever since! Hurts to move sometimes because of that!

Tomorrow, I have a Dr. appointment, I might get my first fill. Maybe I need it. I know I am not eating that much but something is going on! Plus where my port is bugging me too. I am afraid I might get yelled at because I have (by their scale) not lost any since my appointment 5 days after surgery! Only because the 5 or so pounds I lost is BACK!

Once I have my appointment tomorrow I will post more. Today the plan is to work out, work out work out! Maybe only drink stuff too and not eat. I just don't know what to do!

Christmas Eve FUN!

Oh why do I not have will power over this stuff! Puppy Chow we call it in our home, it is also know as Muddy Buddies. Pinch here, one or two there! UGH! I know it is Christmas Eve but I must have will power!

Tonight we had fun! My older boys came over. Had our Christmas Eve dinner of soup in bread bowls. I did not have a bread bowl and maybe an half of cup of cheese soup. It is always good but I limited myself and I could not even finish it!

After dinner we read the birth of Christ and then made a ginger bread house that quickly fell apart! The kids really enjoy making and playing with it. I have some pictures and will post some of the night and Christmas day maybe later tomorrow.

We played games and now relaxing. Did spend part of the day getting some last minute things. So LOTS of walking.

I am going to be up and walk and enjoy the day...in hopes that the Puppy Chow don't get the best of me!

Got with the Trainer today

I now have a workout plan for the gym and for home. I am still sore in the core. A plan is really what I needed. This way, I can go and work out and push myself a bit more you could say.

Next week when I go in for my appointment and if my Doctor does a fill, I pray that I am not to sore around my port! I can really see where my port is. It is like a goose egg bump on my belly. It is right above my belly button. So if I can tell now where it is...what is going to happen next week if I get a fill? It is strange, it seems almost each morning when I get up, I have a stretch mark scar that swells around the area of the port. It goes down after I get up and move around but I do feel in if I rub my hand right there.

All bandages are now off. That means really no more inching! YES! I am rubbing some Vitamin E on the scars to help with the healing. Vitamin E really help in the healing of my foot last year so I am trying it with these little scars.

So, I am tired from the workout today so it is time to end this post. Have a great night everyone!

Hoarder of the "Fat Clothes"

Ok, been watching that TV show Hoarders off and on and I fear I may have a problem. I don't want to get rid of my old "Fat Clothes". Grant it, I still have a LONG WAY to go to reach goal, but there someplace in the back on my mind is the "what if". What if I gain it all back? I am having problems right now finding in my own closet what I can wear. I did go out this past weekend and got some things to wear to church but I need to get more. I was able to buy a size I have not bought in YEARS!

Like gaining weight, over time I have collected clothes. I have work clothes that I have not worn since I stop working at Sawgrass. I have the clothes that I didn't wear because they were to tight and now they fit better. I have somethings that I know that I will never wear again even if I gain it all back that I don't want to get rid of! So why is this a problem for me?

Today, I started to go though them. I am putting the things that I know that are to big in a bag. I want to get like a rubber-made box to put them in and just store them. In doing this, I found some stuff I can now get into. Somethings I even forgot I had!

Maybe I will saving them all for a time. Who knows, maybe I will come across someone that could really use them someday.

Two Weeks Post Op and I am feeling petty good!

It is a wonderful day! I am two weeks post op, and everything now seems to be going well. I am learning what I can do and each day I can feel I am getting stronger. Drinking enough water is still an issue, and I am trying to figure out the best was to get my 64oz at least in.

Still sore, but it is getting better. I can now lean over and not have it bother me as much. Yesterday I was able to walk a mile and half. Today, I hope to at least do the same. Jogging right now seems to bother my port a bit much so I will just walk at a fast pace for now.

Tonight, I get to go to our support group meeting at the Jacksonville Weight Loss Center. I missed the last one due to surgery that day, but I want to go tonight as it is the last one for this year.

So each day brings a new feeling. Yesterday, it was tight in the chest after the walk. I think it was the cold. Today, was able to lean up out of bed and not be in pain! Be thankful for the little things.

Tomorrow will be interesting. I get to go to my hubbys school. I am taking 10 pizzas for his class "party". I have not been over at the school since August. That means, no one over there has seen me since then! I am now like 60lbs lighter! Time to do a little dance for that number! Food don't bother me to much really I have found. I am just going to enjoy seeing the kids faces enjoying their treat that they don't know anything about!

Can you say ROUGH Weekend?

Wow is what I say about this past weekend. I was in so much pain but it was not because of my band. It seems after a trip to the ER first thing Monday morning I had Kidney Stone/s ! It felt worse then the surgery did! For me it was like being in labor all over again! I probably should have gone into the ER on Sunday but I waited.

One thing Dr. Cywes said anything on the main body that is hurting, call him first. It might be band related, but this was not! I did call Dr. Cywes on his phone, and he was so great over the phone! He said to come on in and lets get this checked. He checked on me twice while at the ER and kept up with all the test that the ER Dr. was running. All I can say is Dr. Cywes is wonderful!

Today, I feel much better! I was able to sleep. Have not been able to do that for the past few nights because of the pain. So each day is going to get better.

One of the tapes on one of my incisions came off last night while I was sleeping and I could not find it. Probably Roxy found it. One down, two more to go.

I am giving myself today to heal some more after and eventful weekend. Tomorrow I hope to start back at the gym and do something there slowly. The Gate River Run is in March and I wank to at least walk the 15k!

Soft Food Time!

Yesterday was the first day I could have soft food. So I started the day with an egg! It was so good! I made two, but only ate half of what was on the plate. So really one egg I guess. I had some Mex mix cheese to add to it. Before I ate the egg, I was able to get down a half bottle of water first. Then waited 20 minute before I ate the egg.

Lunch was out kind of. So I made the best menu choice that I could and had some refried beans and cheese. It was a very small amount and ate about 3 oz or so is my best guess. Still not really filling the hunger pains you could say.

Dinner, I made Chicken and Biscuits for the family. It is like a Mock Pot Pie in a way. But I didn't eat the biscuits just the chicken and veggies. I put some on my plate and my dear wonderful hubby said, "is that a bit much for you?" I agree and put some back. Old habits die hard I guess. Then I chop it up really fine on my plate. I ate like 4oz and found myself full again. Didn't want to push it so I stop. But boy did it taste so good! I am using small plates and a small fork to eat with. This way, not to much to eat and I take smaller bites.

I got to start pushing my water again. Ever since surgery, I am finding it hard to drink the needed water. Should drink like 64oz a day! That is 5 water bottles worth.

Tonight was one of those nights I had trouble sleeping. I been up now almost 2 hours. The family will be getting up soon for Seminary and school soon. At least it is Friday.

Post-Op Dr. appointment

Today is day 6. Day 1 was the day of surgery so today is day 6. I went to my doctors for my post op appointment. Basically to check the the incisions. He removed the big bandage over my belly button and now I just have some tape on it. The tape on all will fall off in a week or so. Still have pain in my shoulder. The only bad part today was the wait to get into the room. But, I got to talk to some others. One was 2 years out, 1 month from surgery and one within days of mine. Learned about what to feel when eating and such. While waiting, Jodi there came out and talked to everyone about some upcoming events. One is the Gate River Run/Walk. I would love to run/walk it, but I know for sure I am going to walk it! They are doing a 15k walk this coming year and so I will walk it at least.

Got home and put the heating pad on my shoulder. It seems to help it. Then I went for a walk. I had not done that since before surgery. I only walked like 1/2 mile but I was outside and did it. I need to get back to a 15 min mile walking.

Now, I sit with the heating pad on typing this out. I am also thinking of my friend Nancy and hoping she is home or about home as she had her Lap-Band Surgery yesterday.

So, I am going to rest. Still need that it seems, and then it will be time to get the kids.

Day 4....

All and all a good day! I was able to get myself ready (after finding something to wear that I still could wear) for church and did sacrament at church. Phil brought me home after that and I drank one of my shakes and took a nap till about 3:30. So about a two hour nap. One of the things I am finding is that I am just tired but I do sleep now. I guess it is because the body is healing.

I am a bit black and blue around my belly button area. But Phil and I are not to worried. I go back in on Tuesday for a follow up. I am not having to take my pain meds to often now. So I am happy about that.

Today, I just feel better, but not 100%. Laughing still hurts so does singing LOL. Taking deep breaths is hard but I am making myself do it once in a while during the day. I find myself kind of sleeping on my side now, but I am also sleeping with like every pillow I have on our bed! I sleep kind of sitting up but I end up laying down.

Tomorrow is my first full day on my own. I will just take it easy. I do want to go for a short walk but I will not take the dogs. I hope to sit at my work computer for a bit and do some work. And come the afternoon, I should be able to pick up the kids from the bus stop. I would like to go shopping for a few things but I will see how I am and if I have to wait till Phi is home I will.

Phil and Kaitlynn got a lot of Christmas up this weekend. Did a new thing to the tree this year and I like it. Kaitlynn did that on her own and she did a good job! I love my Christmas lights and I hope he can find the time this week to get them up outside.

So I am feeling good and I am glad I am now on the "Losers Bench" !

I am now a Banded Woman

Surgery went on time, 10am. The Dr. was out talking to Phil at 10:45 am. And I was in recovery by 11:10 or so. Could not see the clock very well with out my glasses and besides I was still a bit groggy.

Around noon, I went over to the short stay unit. My shoulder was hurting as well as my neck from the gas they use to extend the tummy area. Not to say my tummy hurt! OMG it felt like someone used me as a punching bag. Part of the reason my tummy area hurts so bad is they repaired a really big hiatal hernia! My Dr. said it was one of the largest he ever had to repair and so the pain I have he is not surprised by. Because of hernia, I had to stay on my IV until I left to go home. I almost stayed the night, but at around 6:30pm I requested to go home. The dr had already signed the order so I could have stayed or go home. I had one more shot of morphine and went home since the edge of the pain was gone. 7pm I left. I took a pillow along with me for the ride home and that help with the seat belt going across me.

The first night I was home it was rough to sleep. I got up at 2:30 and walked a bit. Took my pain meds and stayed up for 90 mins. Went back to sleep for a few hours and then I just wanted to sit up. It felt better sitting up.

The pain in my shoulder and neck has gone away by the next morning. so it hurts in the belly! I am sure it will get better over time. Walking does help so does the heating pad. Taking GAS X too for the gas pain.

Sleepy all day of the surgery and the next day. Took a shower on day two early evening and had to go to bed right after that, but I slept a good 6 hours!

So I survived. I had the most silly grin on my face most of surgery day. When I had to get weighed in at the hospital at 289! I was so happy about that! I even cried and my Dr said I did really good prior to surgery making the lifestyle changes and I should do really good once I get my band and feeling better. . Just the fact I have a 2 in front of my weight just makes me so happy! Can't wait to see the 1!

So there you have it! I have 3 incisions. One big one in my belly button and one small one on the left side and about an inch one up top just under my breast. The bandages will be on for 2-3 weeks and can fall off on their own. My first fill will be the 28th of December but I go in for my post op appointment Tuesday the 7th.

HOME! Short post tonight

Hey everyone! I am home. Things went really well and I promise to post more later.

Like to say thanks to Trishelle for bringing diner to my family tonight. And thanks to everyone for their well wishes and prayers. Words can not express what I feel.

Thanks again and I will post later this weekend!

It was the Night before Surgery.....

And all though the home, everyone was anxious, even my dog. Was it Mommas surgery or was it the cold that made us jiggle? For Momma it was the jello that jiggle!


Well that didn't flow and nice as I had hope, but really all of us is for the most part is calm about this. Even me! I know I will be snoozing shortly but I just wanted to recap my day for a bit.

I have not eaten for the past two days. Lots of Jello and broth and don't forget the water. Other then the slight headache I am good but I am ready for bed! I think I got use to having all the protein that I had been eating. But I know I will be able to do anything that is asked of me regarding this band. I can do anything!

So in the morning, up and at them somewhat early. Have to be at the hospital by 8am and surgery is at 10. I should be home sometime that afternoon.

My next post will be from a Banded Woman! Take care all and will see you all in my new LIFE!