GAYLE CARMACK-LYONS
HAD ALL MY INFORMATION SUBMITTED TO ONE DOCTOR WAITED FIVE WEEKS ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT MY INSURANCE AND I WOULD BE STUCK PAYING $7400.00, WHICH I CAN NOT AFFORD..
ON TO ANOTHER DOCTOR WHO TAKES MY INSURANCE:)SENT IN MY PACKET TODAY!! HOPING TO GET THE BALL ROLLING. SHOULD NOT HAVE MANY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES.
HAD SURGERY 10/7/03- WENT OVER PRETTY WELL...
12/25/03-HAD A KIDNEY STONE SPENT ALL DAY IN THE E.R., JUST A REMINDER, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!!!
1/9/04 I WAS 3 MONTHS OUT AS OF 2 DAYS AGO, I CAN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE ROLLER COASTER I HAVE BEEN ON. I AM ADJUSTING VERY WELL THOUGH TO THE EATING PART OF IT. FROM THE BEGINNING I HAVE BEEN AN EMOTIONAL WRECK, I CAN'T EVEN WATCH A T.V. SHOW WITHOUT SQUALLING LIKE A BIG BABY!! LOL.. I STILL FIND IT HARD TO EAT SOME THINGS, I NEVER GET IN ENOUGH LIQUIDS (WHICH DOES TAKE ITS TOLL!!!), I ONLY EAT 2 OR 3 TIMES A DAY AND NO SNACKING, I BET I DON'T GET ANY MORE THAT 300 CALORIES A DAY IN, AND LATELY I HAVE BEEN NAUSEATED ALLOT. BUT I TRUDGE ALONG HOPING IT WILL GET BETTER, AND GETTING EXCITED OVER EVERY POUND LOST. WHICH I HAVE LOST 71LBS. AND I LOST ANOTHER 20 BEFORE SURGERY SO THAT IS A TOTAL OF 91 (YIPPEE!!!). I WOULD HAVE THE SURGERY AGAIN, IT IS WORTH IT, AND I KNOW I AM HAPPY ABOUT IT OR WILL BE IN THE LONG RUN. BUT I AM ALWAYS SURE TO CORRECT SOMEONE WHEN THEY SAY THIS IS THE EASY WAY OUT!!! THAT'S A JOKE IF I EVER HEARD ONE, IT TAKES A STRONG PERSON TO NOT CRACK UNDER THIS PRESSURE.
3/8/04-- WELL I WAS 5 MONTHS OUT YESTERDAY.. I HAVE LOST A TOTAL OF 120.5 POUNDS, THIS INCLUDES THE 20 I LOST BEFORE SURGERY. SO I AM GOING TO ADD MY PICTURE TO THE CENTURY CLUB. I THINK THE WEIGHT LOSS HAS DEFINATLY SLOWED DOWN. ALTHOUGH I THINK I AM STILL LOSING. I AM ENJOYING WEARING JEANS AGAIN. I KNOW IF I DON'T TAKE MY VITAMINS I CAN NOT HARDLY WALK BECAUSE I STAY SO WEEK. I GET DIZZY ANYTIME I STAND UP (VITAMINS OR NOT). BUT I CAN DEAL WITH IT. I AM VERY HAPPY AT THIS TIME WITH EVERYTHING, THERE ARE A FEW DRAW BACKS, I GET SICK WITH SUGAR OR CARBS (EXCESS CARBS THAT IS, I CAN EAT A FEW). I MAINLY EAT MEAT AND VEGGIES (POTATOES ONCE A WEEK AT MOST). AND I DRINK A LOW-CARB SLIM FAST FOR BREAKFAST. ANOTHER DRAW BACK IS (WARNING THIS IS GROSS!!!) I STAY CONSTIPATED AND WHEN I DO GO IT IS VERY PAINFUL!!! BUT SO FAR SO GOOD!! I WILL UPDATE AGAIN LATER!!
HANG IN THERE GUYS..
P.S. MY EMOTIONS ARE IN CHECK AGAIN, I DON'T CRY ANYMORE, AND I PROBABLY GET ABOUT 600 CALORIES A DAY NOW(WAS 300 OR LESS), AND I BOUGHT A NEW MUG AND TRY TO DRINK 64OZ. OF WATER EVERYDAY!! MY MUG HOLDS 64 IT IS INSULATED SO IT STAYS COLD, SO THAT HELPS ALOT.
4/13/04 6 MONTHS OUT, WOW!!!! I AM ABOUT 18 POUNDS LIGHTER THAN THE LAST TIME I POSTED. I AM DOWN 138 NOW!!! AND I AM LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. NOT HAVING TOO MANY PROBLEMS EXCEPT CONSTIPATION!!! HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE I HAD A MASS BUILT UP THAT WOULDN'T PASS (SORRY IF THAT WAS TOO MUCH INFO)!!!! I WON'T GO A DAY WITHOUT A STOOL SOFTENER AGAIN!! I HAVE ABOUT 81 POUNDS TO GO UNTIL I HIT "MY GOAL" ABOUT 56 UNTIL I REACH THE "DOCTOR'S GOAL"... I STILL DRINK MY SLIM FAST LOW CARB SHAKE EVERY MORNING, I HAVE ADDED A MINI BAG OF POPCORN FOR A MORNING SNACK. I WOULD STILL THINK I STAY AROUND 600 CALORIES A DAY, NEVER MORE THAT 800. I STILL DON'T DO SUGAR OR ALOT OF CARBS. STILL TRYING TO DRINK THE WATER, IT IS GETTING OLD!!! I AM ON MY VITAMINS, I TAKE CALCIUM CITRATE, MULTI-VITAMINS, VITAMIN C, IRON, AND THE OCCASIONAL B-12, ALTHOUGH THE B-12 RARELY HELPS ANY. I EVEN GOT THE B-12 INJECTION AND IT DIDN'T PHASE ME.. I HOPE THIS NEXT 81 POUNDS COMES OFF AS EASY AS THE FIRST 138, I CAN'T WAIT, ALTHOUGH THE SMALLER I GET THE MORE SKIN SAGS:( BUT I GOT A SECOND JOB WHICH I AM TRYING TO SAVE FOR PLASTIC SURGERY!!!!) I ESPECIALLY WANT AN ARM LIFT AND BREAST IMPLANTS FIRST!!! I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO WEAR A TANK TOP, OR ANYTHING SLEEVELESS AND NOT SCARE PEOPLE!!
I FORGOT TO TELL YOU GUYS LAST MONTH I GOT A NEW PUPPY!!! HER NAME IS PARIS AND SHE IS A PUG/CHIHUAHUA MIX, IF I GET A PICTURE OF HER I WILL TRY AND POST IT, SHE IS ADORABLE, AND FUNNY!!!
5-07-04 Well I am 7 months out, down 145 pounds, :( only lost 7 this month!!! I guess my weight loss is slowing down??? I hope not I still have some to go. I had a check-up with the surgeon and he said everything is fine. Will go back when I am 1 year out. So far so good!!!
6-8-04 Ok, 8 months behind me. I think I did pretty good this month, I am down 156.5 pounds. YAY!!! I can eat ALOT more than I ever thought. But like one person said, it is not how much you put in your pouch, but WHAT you put in. I am sticking to good foods, still no processed sugar. Although I am starting to crave donuts, candy, chocolate, and all of those bad things!! But I JUST SAY NO!!! So I guess I lost 11.5 pounds, I still wish it was more but hey it is better than the 7 from last month.
7-6-04 Well I am 1 day away from 9 months but I figure it is close enough. I am down 168.5, that is a loss of 12 pounds this month. I feel pretty good. I have about 25.5 pounds to go until the doctor's goal, and I want to get there before my one year anniversery which is 3 months away. So lets hope I get there. At the rate I am going I might just make it:)
8-10-04--- 10 months out. Down 180 pounds. I lost 11.5 pounds this month. I am still avoiding sugar, I have added a few carbohydrates back into my diet. Doesn't seem to be slowing me down any. I haven't been hungry too much this past month. It is all I can do to eat twice a day. I know I need to drink more water but that seems like a hassle. But when I do drink that is what it is, or crystal light. I have 2 months to get 15 pounds off. Do you think I will make it? I am hating this SKIN!!!! I would be allot smaller if I didn't have this big apron hanging around my middle. It gets all sweaty and flappy!!! YUCK. Oh well such is life. I am still pretty satisfied with things so far.
9/7/04 Ok I am down 186.5 I have 7.5 pounds to go to reach my goal. I have my one year check up next month on the 6th I pray I am at my goal by then, I will be so happy if I am!!! I have been eating more junk lately. So I am trying to get back on track, and stay away from bread & chips!!!!
10/11/04 Well I am one year out as of last Thursday. I have lost about 193.5 pounds, but I am fluctuating 3-4 pounds every time I weigh. I am at the doctor's goal. My family had an "at goal" party for me this weekend and bought me an outfit!! It is nice to be able to go in any store and buy clothes, and to even have clothes that make me look decent. I have been off track lately with eating. It is hard to pass on certain things which I should be passing on!!! But hopefully I will get back on track. I am happy with where I am now even if I don't lose anymore. When I get this skin taken off I will be perfect:)
It has been a long and hard journey and I still have days when I just want to eat like normal and not get that sick feeling!!! But I would do it again in a minute!!
5/25/05 Hello everyone, long time no see, huh? Well I have lots of news, I just recently got married April the 30th. I actually felt pretty in my wedding dress, my husband says I took his breath away. I am going to try and upload a picture soon. March the 12th our house burned down, so we have been struggling with that, it is hard to live with anyone (especially in-laws)!! I met with a local plastic surgeon, looks like I will be having extended abdominoplasty with lateral thigh lift in July. Then 3-6 months later I am getting everything else tweaked:) Hopefully I will be happy with my body then. It is hard when you have lost so much weight yet you still don't feel good about yourself. Wish me luck. Also an update on my weight, I am down to 164. So I have lost a total of (drum roll please)... 205 pounds, isn't it amazing!!!!
8/10/05 Well I had a belt lipectomy and lateral thigh lift June 22, 2005. Wow that was the roughest surgery ever. They went all the way around and cut me, then pulled the skin up and down and glued me back together, LOL!!! The doctor said he took off about 10 pounds of skin. I was really pleased at first, but the longer I am out of surgery the more disappointed I am. I still have some lose skin on my tummy (my back and butt look good though!!!). The doctor said when you pull the skin only 1 way, sometimes since the elasticity is so bad the skin will be kind of lax. So at my next surgery they are going to try and pull it the other way. I am hoping to have the next surgery in early October. And even though the doctor said he took off 10 pounds, I have only lost about 6 so far (I am hoping there is still some swelling, and I will lose a few more)
10/21/05--5 days until my next surgery (October 26). I am getting new boobs (yay for me, LOL)... Breast lift w/ implants, arms, thighs, skin off of back, stomach "tweaked", and pelvic area. Seems like allot to get done all at once, hopefully all goes well. I sent in a new picture of me after my belt lipectomy, hopefully it will post soon.
5/3/2006--Well good news, I am pregnant!! Well it kind of sucks since I spent $20,000 on plastic surgery, but I have always wanted a baby, so here we go. I am 12 weeks... My stomach (after tummy tuck:( is getting big, I hope I will not get big again. I am afraid to gain a pound, but I have already gained 6 or 7, BLAH!!! Just please pray for me that I am able to lose this baby weight, and my body won't be a total mess afterwards!!!!
1/18/2007--I had the baby 3 months ago. She came 5 weeks early on October 16, 2006. She weighed 5 pounds 3 ounces and was about 16.5 inches long. Her name is Presley Nicole. We love her so much, but she is a Daddy's girl. I have added an additional 8 pounds to my butt, LOL!! I am hoping I will lose them in time. If not it was worth it anyway. I was surprised how quickly I lost most of the weight. Last time I checked when I was pregnant I was up 36-40 pounds (before they packed me full of fluid). And about 2 weeks after she was born I was within 12 pounds of my previous weight. We may start trying for #2-then I will have my complete family and I will be DONE! Two babies is plenty.
6/1/2007--Be careful what you wish for. I am pregnant again. I am already 15 weeks along, so my babies will be about 12 months apart--Yikes! I was scared at first but God had a plan for my life so this is meant to be. Now I am getting excited, I can't wait to find out if this one is a boy/girl and I can't wait to meet the new little person. Presley has started giving hugs (7.5 months), she is such a smart & beautiful girl! The joy of my life! One good thing-I still have all of Presley's baby stuff so I don't have to buy much. Hopefully after this baby I can focus on getting back to my pre-baby weight of 158--I am the most comfortable at this size. The lowest I ever got to was 152 and I looked sick.
