***AlyCat ***
Hello everyone, my name is Alicia I am 26 yrs old, I am 5'5 337 lbs and like everyone else, I have been over weight most of my life. I can honestly say that I have lost 50+ lbs at least 3 different times in my life. Problem is, it never stays off... When people tell you "just eat less, or work out more" I just want to scream! It's not that EASY!" Anyway, I could go on and on... but I’m sure most of you have lived that story.....I first thought about WLS after reading a story about Carney Wilson, and thinking, hhmm, interesting, but I could never do that. (I think I was still very deep in denial). Finally, after I could no longer continue to push my weight problems to the back of my mind and when I stopped lying to myself saying "this is just me, it’s the way I am, I just need to accept myself"... which is BS! Yes, this is me, and yes this is the way I am... but I don't have to "accept" this life any longer! I’m a good person, I’m nice , I'm pretty and I deserve to live a full and wonderful life!!
The 1st time I talked to my husband about WLS he was 100% completely against it. When I finally got brave enough to talk to my dr. about it he didn't like the idea and convinced me that his diet program would work for me… So I gave up the idea for the time being, and I signed up for his program. I was on his program for 6 mouths and it worked at 1st but after a while it stopped working just like everything else I had tried. After I stopped going to my Dr.’s program I started talking about WLS again, still at that point my husband did not want to hear anything about it. I started to get upset with him at this point, and I had made up my mind that he was not going to stop me from having this done. So I started to read anything and everything I could about WLS so that I could answer any questions he might have for me. At the same time I would bring up the idea about me having the surgery every now and again, each time we talked about it he would come around just a little. I have to say that it took me over 2 yr of working on him in order for him to get on bored with the idea. When he finely said he was ok with it I was so happy, because I knew this was something I was going to need his help with and wanted him on my side. After he said OK to the surgery we had to wait 7 months to changes our insurance from an HMO to a PPO. The wait was killer for me!!
I 1st met Dr. Korman the end of April 2006 when I went to one of his seminar about WLS and I liked him right off the back… There was just something about him that made me feel like he really cared about people and what happen to us. I made an appointment that same day to meet him for a consultation. My appointment was on May 17th and everyone there was great, I made up my mind that day that Dr. Korman would be the one to do my surgery. I filled out all the paper work that was needed and went home for the long wait… About 2 weeks after going to the appointment I got a call from the insurer lady from the Dr.’s office and she told me that we had got approval from my insurance company. I was so excited that I could not stop smiling for days… The next day I got a call from Bridgette Dr. Kormans nurse in order to make an appointment for my surgery date. I could not believe it when she told me that they wanted to do my surgery on June 13th (that was just 2 weeks away)…
6-13-06
Today is my BIG day!!! I am on to this next phase in my life. Happy Birthday to me! I am really, really scared and very nervous!!!! I just want this to be done and over with... I have my hubby and my mom with me to help keep me calm. I will let ya’ll know how I am feeling after this is all done…
6-27-06
Well, I have been rather slow about coming back and filling this out. But, I just want to let everyone know how my big day went. I am now 2 weeks out and actually feel pretty good. The surgery was not as bad as I thought it would be. I wasn’t really that sore when I got home and did not have to use pain meds. I am now on pureed foods and seem to be doing ok on them. I got on the scale today and was disappointed with myself I had lost 17 lbs the 1st week and today nothing. The numbers did not move at all, I got really upset and stated to cry. My hubby tried to make me feel better by tell me what a good job I am doing and that he is really proud of me. Don’t get me wrong I was glad to hear that from him, but I was still really upset with myself!! I thought to myself what have I done? I could loss 17 LBS with out the surgery and now that I have had it NOTHING… I am sure I’m not the only person that has gone thought this and I know I just have to keep going… I hope next week is better…
7-13-06
I am now 1 month post op and I feel GREAT!!! I had very little pain and no complications (that I am thankful for)… I am so glad to have this done and over with, but I do have admit that this has not been easy. The 4th of July was not as easy as I had thought it would be, I know this may sound stupid but I felt a little left out when all my friends and family where eating all the good food that’s always at a BBQ. I just broke down and started crying and it was not because I missed the food (I mean really I don’t miss food) I just felt like something was missing… I had to just keep telling myself that “nothing will tasty as good as being thin”. The more weight I loss the happier I am; I have lost 25lbs to date. I can’t wait to see what the future hold for me.
8-13-06
Today I am 2 months post-op and I have lost 47 lbs so I am down to 290 lbs. I had sent a goal for myself of 50 lbs by the time I hit 2 mouths but I did not make it (Grrrrr 3 lbs short) Oh well I am still really happy with myself. I think I am doing GREAT! I can feel the weight loss and it make me feel like I can do anything. I feel beautiful! Sometime I am a little hard on myself about not hitting my goal, but I just have to stop and tell myself that 47 lbs is a lot of weight and that all I have to do is keep up what I am doing and before I know it I will be to my over all goal of 140lbs (and or a size 8). Last night we went out to dinner to celebrate my sister in-laws B-day with her and her friends. I was really scared about going because I was not sure that I could find anything to eat (she wanted to go to a Thai restaurant) I really did not want to get sick in front of people I did not know. When we got to the restaurant and I saw the seating I thought Oh No I am not going to fit (it has arms)… I did not want to try and sit in the chairs in front of everyone and not fit, but when I set down I fit (I thought to my self WOW)… I am sure that is the 1st of a thousand wows that I am going to have… After getting over the fear of not fitting in the seats and not finding anything I could eat I had a great time.
8-15-05
Well it is official I am moving to Panama City, Florida on Aug 31st
(the mover will be here on Aug 30th). Also I am no longer a home owner (my house is sold) OMG it’s really happing. I will let you in on a little secret “I’m scared out of my mind”. I don’t know anyone in Florida and all myfriends & family lives here in California. I have never lived more than 1.5hr away from my family (we are really close). I am the oldest of 5 kids and my mom is more like a friend to me, but out of all of them I think my dad (a wonderful man) is having the hardest time coming to terms with us moving so far a way. To make matter wore I can’t seem to find a support group any closer then 2hr away (in Tallahassee). I think I’m really going to need a support group when I get there, because there have been so many changes in my life. Some times it’s not easy for me dealing with it all!!!! I have talked to my hubby about this he knows how hard this is on me, but he is just so excited to be moving there (his company promoted him when he said he would take the job in Florida). He is just so sure we will love it there (can’t say I am so sure). Don’t get me wrong it is beautiful there and the cost of living is a lot less than here in Calif… Can anyone help find a support group in or around Panama City, FL?
8-17-06
I just had to let ya'll know I got on the scale today and I am now down 53 lbs WOOHOO for me!! I was so happy that I could not stop smiling all day… LOL… I have all kind of idea going through my head of all the great stuff I will be getting to do and how much better I feel now that I'm a "loser". Who ever thought calling yourself a loser would be a good thing. LOL. Also I have now found a support group that is a lot closer to me so; I want to say thank you to everyone that helped!!
9-4-06
Well we made it to Florida! The move has not been easy (why did we have to move on Labor Day weekend?) The movers got to our house (in Cali) at 8am on Wednesdays Aug 30th and packed everything. We spent the night at my parents house then left at 5am Thursday for Florida (we drove here)… Today will be our 2ed day here and I am already home sick! Things are so different here that I am not sure how I am going to adjust, but more than anything I miss my family. On a good note I have lost 63 lbs (as of 1 weeks ago) I have not been exercising like I need to or eating like I should for the past week, so I don’t know what that has done to me. Thing have been so crazy that I have gone a few days where I only eat once and I forget to take my vitamins ( I know, I know BAD me) Now that we are here I am sure I can get back on track. I am going tomorrow to join curves and the new meeting I found (in Panama City) meets tomorrow and they are going to be talking about nutrition. We will also be talking a class by a guy named Dave Rasmey called financial peace university (we are going to get out of debt) mark my words in 2 yrs we will no longer be a slave to the lender! I know we have already made the 1st and hardest step on this journey we got the HELL out of Cali! I really did not like living there but it all I know I have never lived anywhere but Cali. My hubby is from Texas so this move has not really been a big deal to him. He only came to Cali because of the military then he married me so he stayed (he never liked it there). I am just going to have to give it some time I guess.
9-16-06
Today I got on the scale and well it did not move! As I am sure you can guess I am not happy about this. So for the past 2weeks I have not lost any weight. I don’t know maybe I am doing something wrong? I go to the gym 5 days a week for 1hr and I eat between 500-600 cals, I drink all my water, take all my vitamins and get in all my protein. I know that we all go through stalls, but this really sucks! I have called my Doc to ask if this is normal, but he was busy so I am waiting for a call back. I just hope that I start to loss weight again soon! I have a goal for myself “I want to loss 100 lbs by Christmas” I am going home to Cali for Christmas (I can’t wait) I just want to show my family a new Alicia! Also I want to be more comfortable on the flight there. Did I tell you my little brother is getting married Jan 6th 2007 he was so sweet to think about me when they picked a date. That just makes me what to loss the weight more (you know there will be a lot of pictures taken). More big news we are buying a house, when we 1st got here we thought we would just rent a house, but after looking around we found a great house (its not as big as the one we had in cali) but we love it… It’s 1300 sqft 2 bedroom 2 bath with a loft, it need a little work, but nothing we have not done before. The best part is that it’s going to cost us as much to buy this home as rent would have (great deal)! I can’t wait to get out of this apartment and into our home.
9-17-6
I just had to let ya’ll know that after all my kicking, screaming and feeling sorry for myself the other day I am now down 6 lbs more as of today! I guess it just took a little time for my body to catch-up with what I have been doing! I want to say thank you to everyone for all the support ya’ll are great!
I Love this Poem!!!
PHENOMENAL WOMAN
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a model's fashion size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips
The stride of my steps
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please
And to a man
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees
Then they swarm around me
A hive of honey bees.
I say
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth
The swing of my waist
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back
The sun of my smile
The ride of my breasts
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say
It's in the click of my heels
The bend of my hair
The palm of my hand
The need for my care.
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me......
9-22-06
Today I got on the scale and I was really happy because I have lost 3 more LBS!! Although there is something bothering me, now please don’t take this as me complaining because I’m not… I really couldn’t be anymore happy with my weight loss. Its amazing 73LBS gone for every!! The day I had surgery I was 337 (really unhappy) and I was wearing a size 24 today I am 264 and I have only gone down to a size 22 (and I can’t wear all 22’s) What’s up with that? I would think that losing 73LBS would make more of a difference than just one size! Maybe my expectations are too high? Don’t get me wrong I am not going to stop what I am doing I will keep going because I know I will get to where I want to be. I guess I am just a little disappointed that I have not gone down a few more sizes.
10-13-06
Today is Friday the 13th (oh my we should all be scared) LOL it also marks 4 mouths post-op for me! I want to take a little time to reflect on the past 4 month. My life has changed tremendously not all because of the surgery but it was a big part! Today I am 257 lbs that is 80 lbs gone from the day I had surgery (WOW sometimes I can’t believe this is really happing) although I still have a long way to go I know I will make it. I do have a goal for myself I want to loss 100 lbs by Dec 20th now in-order to do that I have to loss 2.5 lbs per week from now until then. I am not sure I will make it because I can’t make my body loss that much weight every week (I can try) all I really can do is eat right, drink all my water, and exercise. I will be ok if I don’t make it because I know I will get the weight off it just might take a little longer. I feel so much better now and I am so happy, but I will not say this has been easy! I have been through a lot of ups and downs along the way (this is a bumpy ride) the thing is I would not change any of it! I don’t remember the last time I felt this alive! I think the best part about this is not only am I more happy so is my hubby! We have been doing a lot of different things that we have not done in a long time and it’s a great feeling. Having this surgery has brought us closer together and he is so supportive I really don’t know what I would do with out him.
This is a plateau busting diet incase any one would like to try it...
#1 - Do this for 10 days to break a plateau
#2 - Drink 2 quarts of water a day
#3 - You must have 45 grams of protein supplement and all your vitamins/minerals supplements each day (some suggest at least 60 and up to 80 gr)
#4 - You may consume up to 3 oz of the following high protein foods, 5x a
day.
beef
pork
chicken
turkey
lamb
fish
eggs
low fat cheese
cottage cheese
plain yogurt or artificially sweetened (?)
peanut butter
beans/legumes
You may also have:
sugar free popsicles
tea or coffee (decaf only)
sugar free jello
broths/bullion (sp?)
crystal light drinks
#5 - If it's not on the list, you can't have it for 10 days!!!!
#6 - Keep a food diary and try to get up to 30 mins of exercise daily
Now on to the changes that have nothing to do with surgery: As you may know from above posting I moved from California to Florida about 1.5 months ago. When I first got here I hated it and wanting nothing but to go home! Things are getting better little by little, and as the days go by I don’t miss home that much anymore. I do still really miss my family but I don’t think that will changes. I am going home to Cali for Christmas and I can’t wait! We just bought a house, it became ours on Oct 10th and we are really excited! The house needs a lot of TLC but that is ok we like doing home improvements. Now being as we are doing 90% of the work ourselves its going to take us 2-3yrs before the house is done but it will look great when it is! I have not found a job yet, but I am looking not so sure I will find one that is willing to work with me and all the travel that we have planed. So all around life is good and just getting better, I am thankful that I was able to have this life changing surgery, I am thankful for my loving, caring, supportive hubby, and I am thankful for all the great people on OH!
As I walk through life...
I've learned-
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned-
that you should always leave
loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned-
that you can keep going long after you can't.
I've learned-
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.
I've learned-
that either you control your
attitude or it controls you.
I've learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be,
But that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.
I've learned-
that just because someone doesn't love you the
way you want them to doesn't mean they
don't love you with all they have.
I've learned-
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once
in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned-
that it isn't always enough to
be forgiven by others,
Sometimes you have to learn
to forgive yourself.
I've learned-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't
mean they don't love each other.
I've learned-
that two people can look at
the exact same thing
and see something totally different.
I discovered this on someone's profile and thought "Wow this is so true" I just had to put it on my profile too, I hope she don't mind me borrowing it.Weight loss surgery is like marriage.The per-op stages, dieting, making behavior changes (no snacking, no sodas, no caffeine. etc) are all like dating. Hmmm- do I like living like this? Can I commit to living like this forever?Then comes the wedding day - surgery forever changed! For better and for worse!Then, the honeymoon. Ahhh! I'm losing weight and life is good, everyone is saying how great you look and how well you're doing. This feels great!!!The Rest of your life - marriage - Ok. Here is where the rubber meets the road. Can I maintain the attitudes and habits from the dating period? I'm done losing weight. So I may not get all the compliments as before - life has returned to the normal grind. Oh no - what about the cute guy (substitute cheesecake!) who is winking at me from across a crowded room!!! I need to remember my commitment to this process just like I'd need to remember my marriage commitment. What is so interesting is the more I travel this road - the more I see how this analogy is dead on! Just thought I'd share it with you.
11-13-06
Well today marks month 5 on my WLS journey and life is good!!! I still have my days when I feel like I’m a failure... I should have lost more weight by now... I should be exercising more, drinking more water, not eaten so much etc... I’m my own worst critic. Although I do have my bad days I have to say that those good days out weigh the bad by far! I have lost 96 lbs and I am in a size 18 (Hubby thinks I could be in a 16) I am not ready to go there yet!!! I am excited, chipper, blessed, delighted I could go on… LOL … I know I will make my 100 lbs goal before Christmas (only 4 lbs to go) WooHoo… I believe I can make it by Thanksgiving! As long as I don’t hit any stalls (please god no stalls). I am acutely looking foreword to the holidays and that is something I can’t believe I am saying! I was scared at 1st because I was not sure what I was going to eat and you know how the holidays are all about the food, but I got this eating thing under control! I can’t tell you how good it feel to know that I am going to lose all this weight that has held me back for so long! Nothing could ever taste as good as being thin feels!!! We are still working hard on our house but it is slowly coming together and starting to feel like home. I don’t know if Florida will ever really be home to me but I am trying! Then again it’s really hard to make yourself at home in a place that you know you may not be in 2 yrs. What can I say with hubby job we never know where we might be going next! Oh well I like to try as look at it as “I get to see a lot of this beautiful country that we live in.” I still can’t wait to go home to California for Christmas and see my family! Well that’s all for now!
12-13-06
I am 6 months post-op today and down 110 lbs… WooHoo… If you had asked me 6 months ago if I thought I would be down 110 lbs this soon I would have laughed at you!!! You know as I sit here writing this I really can’t believe that I have come this far! Sometime I think it’s all a dream and I’m going to wake-up any minute now. I feel so good about myself; not only do I look better but I feel so much better! I am so glad I had this surgery and I would tell anyone thinking about it “go for it, it well worth it!” I am really getting excited because we leave to California in 10days and I have not seen my friends or family in over 3 months. I know that don’t sound like a long time but when you’re changing like I am 3 months make a BIG difference! I finely did it. Yes, after putting it off for over a month I finely did it. What did I do you might ask? Well, I cleaned out my closet and when I was done I had NOTHING to wear. Now when I say NOTHING I mean NOTHING!!! I got ride of everything in my closet because nothing fit me (it's all too big) WooHoo… Kyle told me he hated seeing me in cloths that made me look bigger than I really am so now I have all new cloths. I have never in my life had so little cloths LOL… I have 3 pairs of jeans (that are a size 16) and like 9 shirts (some are XL some are L) LOL… Sometimes I look at my cloths and think “there is no way that will fit me” then it dose and I feel so good! I have to be sure to do the wash weekly or I will have nothing to wear. Oh well I could not bring myself to spend a lot of $ because I know I will only be wearing the cloths I just bought for like 2 months maybe 3 if I am lucky!
1-13-07
So today make 7 months post op for me. I have lost 121 lbs and could not be anymore happy with that. I am having problems with my gallbladder it going to have to come out! I went to the ER last night at 3am because I was in so much pain I thought I was going to die. Never in my life have I been in so much pain. I was hoping the Docs at the ER would take out my gallbladder but all they did was give me some pain med and sent me home. I was glad to get the pain med but now I have to wait until Monday to go see my regular Doc. Other then that I have been feeling really good and really happy! I went home to Calif for Christmas I had a great time. I loved see all my friends and family, they could not stop telling me how good I look. I was a little embarrassed by all the attached. My weight loss has slowed down but I am ok with that. I know part of the problem what that I did not go to the gym for 3 weeks. Now that I am back home I can get back into the swing of things. Well that is just as soon as my gallbladder gets taken care of. Well I still want to get under 200 lbs before my trip to Germany I only have 17lbs to go.
2-13-07
Wow what can I say it’s been 8 months and I feel like a completely different person. This has been a whirlwind for me and I have loved every moment of it! Just 8 short months ago I walked in to that hospital weighing 337lbs I hating myself. I was also scared, nerves, afraid this would not work I even told my hubby and mom that I changed my mind and wanted to go home. Today I’m really glad they did not let me go home. Today I weigh 194lbs that mean in 8months I have lost 143lbs can you believe that? I would never tell anyone this has been “easy” its not. You have to really commit yourself to change and I’m not just talking about how you eat; you as a person will change embrace it! Along with losing weight I have begun to find a lot more confidences that I had lot a long time ago, with my new found confidences I have made new friends. I have also has my 1st drink of alcohol since surgery this past month and wow it really hit me hard. I have found that I like going out on Friday & Saturday night with friends/hubby and just dancing the night away this is something I would NEVER have done before surgery. This past month for me has to have been the hardest month I have had to dill with since surgery. I had gall stones and let me tell you that was not fun. Some days the pain was so bad that I just wanted to die. I went to the ER 4 time in 3week because I could not take the pain. It did not matter what I did or did not do the attacks would come on so sudden and sometime last for days! Then 4 days before surgery to take out my gallbladder is when the pain was at its worst! I went 4days with out eating anything all I had was water and pain meds I was so doped up that I could not do anything. Lucky for me it’s now been a week since I had my gallbladder out and feel so much better! Now me and hubby are getting ready to leave for Europe for 5 week (I can’t wait) we leave March 1st and come home April 5th. I will spend my 27th b-day in Frankfurt, Germany, my 7th wedding anniversary in Paris, France! I will also be visiting Prague, Czech Republic, and Zurich, Switzerland. I could never have done this before surgery I mean I could not even think about spending 13hrs on air plain I would have been so uncomfortable! This surgery has been the best thing I have done for myself I am very thankful!!
3-13-07
Well I am now 9 months post-op I don’t really have too much to say about this past month! I’m weighing in at 190lbs witch is good don’t get me wrong, it’s just that I had hoped to be in the 180’s by now. Oh well not much I can do about it. I was stalled for 4 weeks then I lost 2 lbs… Also I am in Europe on vacation so that makes losing weight a little harder! Don’t get me wrong I am trying its just that I have found myself eating A LOT more carbs than I should that and not going to the gym don’t help. There is a gym that I can use and I am going to go!!! Really I mean it I am. I am really sick right and have been for the past few days so that sucks. It’s also raining today so that mean I am not going to be leaving the hotel at all today (I did not leave yesterday either). All I know is I have to get better by this weekend because me and Kyle have BIG plans!
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
