3 month Check up

I'm seeing my surgeon on Thursday this week. It's my 3 month check up and I'm looking forward to going over my blood work and showing him my progress. I've been tracking my weight loss from the time I started the process of getting ready for surgery. My weight was 332 in September of last year. By the time I had my surgery on Dec 22nd I'd gotten down to 308. When I left the hospital after surgery I was 314. So I wasn't sure what number I should track from after surgery so I went back to the beginning since that's when I started to change and get healthy. 61 pounds and counting.

One day at a time

I posted on Facebook yesterday that I'd lost 57 pounds. Why post at 57 and not 60? 57 lbs brought me to just 100 lbs over my driver's license weight. I've had my weight listed at 175 forever. I don't even know if it was accurate when it was first issued. My goal is to reach my driver's license weight. My nutritionist and surgeon have a more lofty goal in mind. They feel I can get to a healthy weight of 145 lbs.

I haven't weighed under 150 since jr high school. I've been heavy my whole life. But I feel for the first time, that I have a shot at reaching this. Although last month I had my doubts.

Lots of people think that having WLS is a magic bullet and that the weight will come off with no effort and life will be all sunshine and roses. We (my people, the fatties who are going in for surgery) are told that WLS is just one tool in helping you lose weight. But I went into it with the wish that it was magic and I'd be skinny in no time flat.

I lost weight right after surgery but it wasn't falling off that quickly. Although I was eating between 200 to 400 calories and exercising more than I had in years (face it, I don't think I ever got regular exercise except for chewing) I only lost a few pounds. I knew I was shrinking, my clothes were getting baggy and I was feeling better but the scale was not telling me what I wanted to hear. And I was still obsessing about food. About 10 days ago I started dropping pounds, I've dropped a pound a day. I have been thrilled. I know that I will go through many plateaus during this journey but I hadn't expected to have one right off the bat. I'm hopeful that the weight will continue to drop off.

This morning I got out of bed and noticed that my knees weren't hurting as much as they had even a week ago. I look forward to the small changes as well as the bigger ones. My surgery was not an easy fix but it is helping me. But when it comes down to it, it's me thats in control and it's up to me to make the right choices.

Bodily Functions

I was told I might get constipated so I was expecting it. For 2 days, I've drunk my Benefiber and tried to squeeze out the poop I can feel rattling around inside me. After a disappointing attempt yesterday that yielded only one small raisin sized pooh, I was very excited to pass a small box of raisins this morning before my shower. I let the shower pour over my sore butt as I hoped I wouldn't suffer from hemorrhoids. I didn't think I had completed the job but I just wasn't able to get more out without hurting myself.

Rob and I decided to take a ride to Alki in West Seattle. There are great views of downtown and a pleasant walkway along the beach. I was feeling up to it so we took a stroll. On the way back to the car, we came to a public restroom and I was still feeling a bit of need so we stopped for a bit. I just sat there after my pee and knew that nothing was coming.

We continue back to the car and I start to get an ache in my lower belly. Rob's all concerned and I said I just thought it was a bit of gas. Just before we got into the car, I let a little air escape. It wasn't just air. Let's just say that constipation is no longer a problem and I had a very uncomfortable ride home. Rob offered to stop at a bathroom somewhere but unlike the toddler I'm starting to feel like, I hadn't packed a change of clothes with me.

I feel better now.

* I should have titled this: How I pooped in public.

Calorie Counting

I figured keeping track of what I eat would be a breeze since I'm only eating about a quarter cup of food at a meal. What is difficult is making sure enough of this food is high in protein and that rest is good for me. Enter whey protein. I am adding this to my hot cereal, my pureed meats and veggies. I haven't added it to my applesauce because that is my little sweet treat.

I'm feeling better today tho, my throat is still sore from tubes ramming in and out. I feel a bit bloated and worry about my staples, so I just got back in my nightie after my shower. I put on a little makeup and some gel in my hair, I looked almost human today.

3 days to go

I'm trying to get all my Christmas gifts wrapped and do other odds and ends around the house so that my family will have an easy time while I'm in the hospital. I keep waking up in the early morning hours (today it was 3am). I have black circles under my eyes. 3 days until my life changes. 3 more days...

Me Anxious??

I got up at 4am this morning. I just couldn't sleep. Feeling a bit anxious. Did I make good use of my time? Nope, went onto Facebook and played some games and read all my friends status lines.

I just installed Skype and a web cam so I can talk for free with my sister in Norway. I haven't actually seen this work, so we are testing it at 10am this morning.

Maybe I'll try sleeping again for a bit.

5 more days

Now that I've moved up my surgery date, I realized I needed to finish up my Christmas shopping. I'm done, although I need to go to the post office to mail a package to NJ for my brother's kids. I just might pay my son to do this for me.

I also bought food for my liquid Monday and for after I get home from the hospital. I think I'm all set.

I've been feeling fairly selfish lately. I haven't been making dinner since I'm not eating it and I've just been offering up casual dinners for Nicole (daughter) and Rob (the hubs). My son seldom eats with us. It's hard to come up with dinner for a vegetarian (Nik), a dieter (me) and my biking hubs who needs carbs.

I've got to my gifts wraps before Tuesday!!

8 Days to go

I'm a week out from my Bariatric Surgery and the reality of it is starting to hit me. I shared my news of WLS with my 9th grade Girl Scout Troop. They were very nice about it and were very encouraging. Then they went back to their goofy selves and made offers of pureeing a Big Mac for me after the surgery. Gotta love the teenage girls.

To prepare for surgery I was told that I needed to lose 5% of the excess weight from the time I started in on the program. Which is about 10 pounds. So far I'd lost 16 and I hadn't gone down in a couple of days. Weighed in last night, and I'd gained 1/2 lb! But this morning I was 2 1/2 lbs down.

I haven't done any Christmas baking this year and I don't think I will. If my weight creeps up, then they will cancel my surgery and it will be months before I get another date.

Losing just 18 lbs has done a world of good for my knees. It doesn't make a much of dent in what I need to lose but it's a start.