jazzyjan
Nov 10,2006
I am so nervous and apprehensive about my upcoming meeting with Dr. Brown on the 20th. I have been led down the garden path so many times and I feel like I am getting ready to take another trip. I want so badly to believe, and yet I keep remembering how it felt to get my hopes up before, only to have the door slammed in my face. What's worse, even though there is a part of me that refuses to believe anything the office staff tells me, there is another part of me who is buying into their promises, hook, line and sinker. So I feel like I am in some twilight zone, not sure of what the future will hold.
Another problem I seem to be having is that I am eating like the proverbial hog, and I cannot seem to rein myself in. My blood sugars are way up and I am feeling sick and defeated and frustrated and just plain pissed off at myself. What is wrong with me? I feel rebellous and beligerant and surly and I think it is just because I want this so bad, and no matter how many times I go over the disappointments of the past, I still find myself getting my hopes up and imagining how it will be this coming summer, and next Christmas with family and friends when I have lost down to a reasonable size. I am not expecting to ever wear a bikini or even a sleeveless top, but I do want to be able to buy clothes off the rack and just feel 'normal'. I hope to lose down to 150 pounds. Now, according to the experts, at 150 I will still be obese, but I will feel normal, and I think my health will vastly improve and that's what I'm shooting for. I don't dream of being sexy; I dream of being healthy. I don't think that's too much to ask.
Anyway, in filling out the paperwork for Dr. Brown I had to give a history of my diet attempts, and after going through old journals and my family album, this is what I came up with:
1962-Metrecal...does anyone out there remember this? It was a liquid chocolate shake, and the forerunner of slim fast. I took it as directed but never missed a meal and I gained instead of losing. But I was 10 years old and thought any diet that contained chocolate was the diet for me. Mom quit buying it for me after the first few months because it was expensive and obviously wasn't working.
1968- Tried again.Ate 1 meal a day and drank lots of water. Also wore a rubber sweat suit. Lasted maybe 3 weeks w/ minimal weight loss. I was 17.
1970- Graduation. Literally quit eating for 6 weeks before hand. With the exception of an occasional salad and lots of frozen popcicles made out of frozen kool-aid w/o sugar, I dropped 27 pounds but regained 32 pounds by the end of summer.
1972- Dieted from January to March for my wedding. We were supposed to be married in June but eloped in March. In the middle of June I found out I was pregnant and threw the diet out the window. However, I did do Elaine Powers exercise club while I was pregnant anf for four or five months after. I weighed 183 when I got married, 242 after the baby was born. Got back to the 180's by doing 1200 calories a day and my own exercise routine of calesthenics and walking. (This was well before the aerobics craze) However, with a new baby and an increasingly distant husband, I soon lost my grip and started re-gaining not only what I had lost, but more on top of it.
1974- Went on a serious diet/exercise routine; lost close to 100 pounds but gained it all back as soon as I went off the diet.
1976- Husband left. I dieted and exercised, hoping he would come back, and we did reconcile a time or two. The last time we reconciled I got pregnant w/ my son, and he left for good. I went into a severe depression and re-gained the weight. This was 1976-78.
1981- Jazzercise. 2 hrs every day including Sunday's. No days off, ever. Got back to the 180's but I got sick of living and dying by a number on the scale and quit.
183- Tried over-eaters anonymous. After sitting in meetings and listening to everybody talk about their food issues, I'd go home and binge. 3 meetings and I quit. I also tried hypnosis during this time, but couldn't take it serious because I didn't believe in it, so I just giggled all the way through it and never went back. I looked into having my jaw wired shut, and even found a dentist who was willing to do it, but I chickened out at the last minute.
1985- Richard Simmons, Jazzercise and 1200 calories a day. Lasted 4 months,but got so sick of Richard Simmons' voice, and that perky jazzercise broad that I took my tapes out into the driveway and backed over them several times. I started out at 242 and ended up 225 pounds.
1989- Nutri-system- Didn't last long. Too expensive on a c n a's salary.
1990-91- Fad diets and bingeing. Rebelled against exercise. Didn't do any. Discovered that w/o exercise, I have no hope in hell of losing weight.
1991- Half way through the year I went back to nutri-system, Richard Simmons and jazzercise. Had to buy all new tapes. Added Jane Fonda. Dropped nutri-system almost immediately because I couldn't afford it, but continued to exercise. Two steps forward and one step back. Gained and lost over and over again.
1994- Joined local health club.Swimming helped my arthritis and I could actually exercise w/o hurting, as long as the pool was properly heated. But when it was cold I got out hurting worse than when I got in.
1997- Began investigating bariatric surgery. but my insurance wouldn't cover it. Had my hopes raised and dashed over and over again. 3 different docs accepted me, made me jump thru hoops and then rejected me half way through because of my surgery. By now I was 301 pounds.
1999- Still hoping for, and looking into bariatric surgery. Started going back to the health club and doing the Weigh Down Diet. Lost 67 pounds in one year, but lost my grip and quit yet again.
October,2002- Started Weigh Down again. 288 pounds. Walked an hour everyday. This was so painful w/ my excess weight and my arthritis, but I stuck to it. Lost 116 pounds in 15 months. Hospitalized with diverticulitis in Jan 2004 and could not eat or drink for 8 days. Went home from the hospital and ate everything in sight.
Jan, 2005- Started my anual New Years diet. Didn't last long.
Jan 2006- Another diet and exercise program. My son is talking about putting me on his insurance so i can have the surgery, but can't be enrolled until October.
Oct 2006-My son put me on his insurance-Great West. On the 19th I went to the orientation for Dr Brown in Canon City. Great West doesn't kick in until Jan of 2007, but I am going to try to start the ball rolling ahead of time.
*****Talked to Dr. Browns office and they take medicaid now so I don't have to wait until January. I have an appointment w/ Dr. Brown on Nov. 20,2006. Oh, God, please let this work this time.
Nov 17, 2006- Went to see my PCP today......my, how times have changed! At the beginning of this journey my PCP (not this one, but a former PCP) was dead set against it. Wouldn't give me a referral and was literally a pain in my...well, you get the picture. Today my PCP was very encouraging. She wrote out the referral w/o batting an eye, set up my ekg and initial blood work and assured me that my appointments for the other tests would be set up within the next few days. I have my appointment w/ Dr Timothy Brown on Monday, the 20th and I am really getting excited. Here's hoping................
Nov 20, 2006....Saw Dr Brown today. Both he and his office assistant, Andrea were wonderful. Andrea assured me that there would be no problem with medicaid paying and was very happy to see that I had already started the process by talking w/ my PCP and setting up several of the pre-op tests. Dr. Brown discussed options with me and when I told him I was interested in the mini gastric bypass he informed me that it was a good option seeing as how it was the only one medicaid would authorize and pay for. Are things coming together here, or what!? He told me that I could set up my psych eval and my nutritionist consult in Pueblo, and all of the other tests will be done here in town as well, so I am on my way. I can't believe it! I came home from the Dr and immediately went in and had my blood work done. Can this really be happening?
Nov 21...Had my upper gastric with barium swallow test done today. One less obstacle in my path.
Nov 28- Had the chest x ray done at Parkview, but they had no written orders for the EKG or the stress echo. So I went back to my PCP's and left a message that I still need the EKG Orders. I could care less about the stress echo as this was not the bariatric surgeons idea, just another test that my PCP thought would be a good idea. I have had a stress echo twice before and it is no day at the beach, trust me on that one. Because of my obesity I cannot run on the treadmill fast enough to get my heart rate up where it needs to be to check out my heart under stress, so they inject me with something that makes my heart race like crazy while I am laying down. Having no control over your wildly beating heart is terrifying and I hate it. So if I can skip that test I'll be a happy camper.
Later that same day.......I went to my psych eval at spanish peaks and saw Dr Ray Gradisar. He asked a lot of questions, but seemed pleased with my answers, so at the end of it all he said he would fax a favorable report to Dr. Browns office by Thursday at the latest, so that is one more thing to scratch off my list. When I got home I called the PCP's office and was told the paperwork was there for the EKG so I can pick it up tomorrow when I go to see the nutritionist. Didn't think to ask if it was for a stress echo as well, but I soldier through if it is. My goal is to have all the paperwork in to the surgeon by December 5th. We'll see how that goes. Everything feels likes its finally going to happen for me. I just hope I am not getting my hopes up for nothing again. But then no matter how many times I say I am giving up, I guess I will never stop trying.
Nov 29,2006 Went to the nutritionist today, What a hoot! The paperwork is necessary, I understand that, but this lady did not have near the information I had, and she was supposed to be teaching me. By the end of the hour she admitted as much and agreed to fax a positive letter to Dr. Brown's office in Canon City. So now if I can just get the red tape straightened out for my ekg I will be good to go. They did not have the paperwork waiting for me at the office as I had expected. What they had was a letter of medical necessity written for me by my PCP. My insurance doesn't even request that but it was such a good letter that I sent it on the the surgeon as well. It can't hurt. Anyway, I left another message for my PCP to remind her that I still needed a referral for my EKG, and then that is the last hoop I will have to jump through. I"m hoping for surgery in January but all the blogs are saying February, so we shall see.
Dec 6,2006- Had the EKG done at Corwin. In and out in no time. They have Dr. Brown's fax number and will send it off today. Hallelujah! I've done all I can do.
Dec 8,2006- Talked to Andrea at the surgeon's office. All the paperwork is in and has been turned over to my insurance with a request for surgery approval. She says I will know in about 2 weeks so maybe by Christmas I will have some really good news.
Dec 12,2006- My best friend of 30 years fell getting out of the shower and has no one to care for her so I am going to her house to take care of her. She tore ligaments all around her knee but has no health insurance, so they told her unless it was broken they were not obligated to admit her. They sent her home with a stabilizing brace and no medication for pain or anything else. If countries are judged on how they take care of their children, their sick and their elderly, the the U S A has no business going around the world trying to save everyone else while people here in the land of milk and honey are turned away from hospitals because they work minimum wage and cannot afford health insurance. Shame on us. Before my health got so bad I was a nurses aide so I know what I am doing, and we worked side by side in nursing homes for years so it will not be a hardship on me and I thank God I am in the position right now to be there for her. Plus, it will help keep my mind off myself while I am waiting for news.
Dec 19, 2006...OHMYGAWD!!! I HAVE A SURGERY DATE!!! They called my daughter because they couldn't reach me, and told her that I was approved and I needed to get in touch with the office to set up a pre-op visit with the doc and then a surgery date. I just kept saying "No WAY!' really loud into the phone. I couldn't say anything else. Then I got so emotional, I just told my daughter, "I'm sorry, but there's going to be weeping now," and I handed the phone to my girlfriend who was scared to death because I just sat down and cried like a baby. I got control of myself after about 10 minutes and called Andrea at Dr Browns office. She set me up for a pre-op consult on the 29th. I will take any family members who have questions at that time because Dr Brown doesn't want a lot of questions on the day of surgery. He just wants to get in and get out and get on with his day. My kinda guy. Anyway, my surgery date is January 3, 2007. What a Christmas present this is.
Dec 27, 2006 Got a call from the surgeons office to go in any time before the final consult to get the pre op blood work done, so I did that today. I had been there earlier this week but they could not find the orders that Andrea had faxed to them, but today everything went fine so now I have done everything there is to do except show up for the final consult and then the surgery on Jan 3rd.
Dec 29, 2006... Went to Canon City (30 miles away) in a blizzard. Just got back from my pre-op consult w/ Dr. Brown in Canon City. I check into the hospital at 8:30 a.m. on Jan 3rd and by 10 a.m. I'll be in surgery. I will probably go home on Friday afternoon , so one week from today at this time I should already be home from the hospital and firmly situated on the losers bench. I went to the hospital (St Thomas More) for my pre-op registration, and everything is a go. I am so excited! Yesterday, I was very scared and depressed, but today I am very "up". I understand that all this is normal, but I just want to get to the other side. I haven't eaten since Dec 19th and that part hasn't really been as hard as I thought it would be, but it is time for this struggle to be a part of my past and I can't wait. For the first time in a long time I think I will feel like celebrating this New Years Eve.
Jan 02,2007....Several last minute snafu's, but bottom line! Tomorrow morning I get the surgery I have been fighting for for five long years. This morning the surgeon'soffice called and said they did not have a copy of my EKG and needed it. Now, I know they had to have had it at one time because they would not have submitted my paperwork to the insurance without it, but I went straight to the hospital andasked them to pull their copy and fax it to Dr. Brown's office, which they were very glad to do. Then, when I got home the phone was ringing and it was the hospital, informing me that my surgery had been moved up from 10 a.m. to 8 a.m. That's no hassle for me though, and I'll be there with bells on. So I will be out of touch for about a week. I will probably be released from the hospital on Friday, the 5th, but i will go home for the week end with my sister who wants to fuss over me. The surgeon assures me it won't be necessary, that I will be fine to go home all by myself, and honestly, I would prefer it that way as I am somewhat of a loner, but my sister likes to hover so she would be calling every 10 minutes anyway. Besides which, she and I always have such a good time when we're together anyway, it will be like a good old fashioned slumber party. Her husband is leaving tomorrow for Texas to go hunting, so she and I will have the run of the place, and we can do some catching up. Tomorrow is my new birthday......Jan 3, 2007.
Jan 8, 2007 My surgery went off without a hitch. I was not nervous at all. I had prayed about it the night before and I just felt like everything was going to be okay. The worst part was trying to get the darned I V started, but it is always that way with me. I told them I had lousy veins, and they looked me over real carefully and baby-ed me through the whole process. They numbed me up with injections of lydocane, and it still took 4 people and 7 'pokes' to get the I V going, although they had to settle for putting it in the bend of my arm, which was a real pain. But given what they had to work with they did an excellent job. I only had a moment to say good-bye to my family and I really remember very little else after that. I woke up in recovery and vaguely remember speaking with my children and my sister, and I remember telling them to go home, and for the majority of that day I just slept. The next day I woke up with minimal pain and discomfort, and absolutely no nausea Of course, I could not have any liquids at all so I was very thirsty, (I think I remember sucking on my wet toothbrush) but other than that I was fine. And by the next day when I was ready to have my pre-release testing done I was up and walking and feeling great, with no pain or discomfort whatever. They checked for leaks and the doctor assured me that there were none and that everything had gone absolutely textbook .I was set home with pain and nausea meds which I have yet to use. I had 5 small inscissions (less than an inch) so the surgery could be done laproscopically, and all are closed except for the one that had the draining tube those first 2 days. I change the bandages twice a day and it is almost 100% closed already. I am on clear liquids until Friday the 12th when I go see my surgeon for the post op check up., and then we will go from there. He has cautioned me to drink gatorade rain to keep my electrolites up, and flintstones chewables and 2 tumms daily for my calcium, to keep myself healthy and my bones strong, but I came through this and I couldn't be happier. One thing I have been careful about is taking small sips of juice or broth or whatever andspreading a small 4 oz drink over about an hour. I get full extremely easily. I know one day soon this will annoy the fire out of me but right now it tickles me silly.
Jan 9, 2007 Called Dr. Brown's office and she advised me to go to full liquids, which is basically creamed soups and such, and so I have been drinking cream of chicken soup (I add a slice of swiss cheese to each cup and melt it all together and it gives it a better flavor and also gives me a little more protein.) and cream of tomato soup, to which I add a slice of american cheese. Yum! Cream of asparagus soup is also good with either kind of cheese. I go to the surgeon for my post op this Friday.
Jan 12, 2007....So I went to my pre-op consult in a blizzard, I came home from the hospital in a blizzard and guess what? I was supposed to go back to see the surgeon for my post op consult today, and you guessed it! A blizzard! My kids are accusing me of being to blame for all the bad weather we are having. Anyway, we started out, but the roads were so bad we soon chickened out and came back home. I called the office and Andrea rescheduled me for Tuesday, the 16th at 3:30 p.m. She told me to continue on my full liquids until Monday and then to go on to soft foods like cottage cheese and yogurt and stuff. So I will see the surgeon next wednesday and hopefully move on to at least beginning to eat like a normal person again.
Jan 17,2007 Working really hard to get all the protein in. It is so hard. I am not hungry....ever! And I find trying to concentrate all day long on whether I am getting enough protein, or whether I am getting enough water to keep from being dehydrated very stressful. I can't eat for a half hour if I have been drinking my liquids, and I can't drink for a half hour if I have been eating. I wake up and if I have slept in I feel guilty because I know already I am behind in getting my protein in, and behind in drinking my gatorade to keep my electrolites going. So I wake up thinking..."Should I eat or should I drink? I've got to get my protein in, so maybe I should eat first, but yet, I don't like to eat the minute I get up so maybe I should start on my gatorade. But then I'll really be behind on my protein so what should I do?" I know this is not a problem for some people after gastric bypass, but I can't eat much; it is just too uncomfortable, so it scares me that I am not getting enough protein to keep my heart in good shape. After all, I did this surgery for my health. I don't want to get sick from the surgery. Talk about counter productive! On the bright side though, I am 246 pounds. I started out at 269 so I am excited about the weight loss.
Jan 21, 2007 I bought protein powder at wal mart to help me get in my protein. It comes in vanilla and chocolate so I bought a bit jug of both. It is helping me to get my protein in, and so I am not stressing nearly as much. I weigh 240 pounds! I have lost 29 pounds since December 19th so wooohooo!
Jan 29,2007 I weigh 236.5! Down another 3 1/2 pounds from last week. God! This is great! I am so happy I did the surgery. I am still puree-ing my meat, and still not able to eat meat without puree-ing it, but I don't care. I still struggle with protein, even with the shakes. The shakes are very filling and make me feel over-full. And when I take 2 a day, to make sure I get the protein in, I cannot eat much of anything else. I never in my wildest imaginations would have thought the day would come when it would be impossible for me to over eat, but it has. A couple times I have tried to eat more than I should, not because I wanted the food, but because I was trying to force the protein situation, and when I tried this I ended up barfing, so I just am not going to keep trying to eat more than I know my stomach will take.
February 5,2007 233.5 pounds. Down another 3 pounds this week. But I am getting so tired and I feel so drug out. I know I am not getting enough to eat calorie wise, but I am really doing the best I can. I want to start exercising but I can't seem to do more than 5 minutes without just feeling totally exhausted. This can't be right. I have ordered Prostat 64 from a medical supply store. 2 Tablespoons of this pre-digestable liquid is 15 grams of protein. So 3 tbs is 22 grams, and I can take it 3 times a day like a shot of booze; just knock it back, and my protein problems are solved. I am so excited! When I get this liquid protein I will be able to actually eat a veggie once in awhile. Up until now I have been concentrating on my protein and there is never enough room after that to eat a vegetable. Oh, for a plate of broccoli!
Jan 12,2007 Down another 3 pounds this week! I got the protein liquid and it has been a godsend. I am no longer stressed about the protein situation. But I am still so tired. I hope after this has been getting in my system for awhile I will start getting more energy. I am going to talk to my PCP about vitamin B12 shots. I need something. The way I am feeling just isn't right.
Jan 13,2007 Went to see my PCP today and she ordered bloodwork to see where we stand on my being so tired. She says she will get the results back tomorrow and then I can come in for a B12 shot. But late this afternoon another doctor called, because my PCP had already left, and she said my potassium level is critically low. She asked me if I had been having heart palpitations, chest pain or fluttering of any sort. I told her no, I was just chronically tired. She called me in a perscription of potassium and told me if I have any of these symptoms to get to an emergency room immediately because low potassium can damage the heart. So now I am scared. I have been working so hard to get the protein in that I haven't been getting the potassium, which is found in fruits and veggies. So I went online to find out which foods were highest in potassium and I am going to try to build it back up in my system. I take the potassium pills twice a day and they are huge so I am cutting them into like 6 pieces, and then I am supposed to go back to the doc in one week and have my blood work drawn again. Normal potassium is 3.5 or above, and low is 3.4 and under. My level is 2.9. I am very weepy and frightened. I had this surgery to get my health back. Now I am afraid I am killing myself , and there is no turning back.
Jan 22, 2007 I fell asleep last night and woke up about an hour later with a heaviness in my chest and kind of a breathless feeling. I kinda thought I was beginning to have an anxiety attack, but it never got to the point where it was full blown, and I got scared and tried to get my mind off it by watching t.v. The Anna Nicole trial is going on right now so that is mildly amusing, but I still felt like I couldn't catch my breath. I finally fell asleep and even that didn't seem to take the edge off. I would wake up several times throughout the night with that heaviness still there. I woke up early and almost called a friend to take me to the emergency room. I was sure my heart was doing something weird and strange and I was really freaked out. My daughter doesn't have a land phone; just a cell, and it gets no signal in the basement of their house which is where she and her husband sleep, and my son has a cell, but he never answers it. So all throughout the night I kept thinking I had no one to call if I really needed to get to the hospital. I would have to call an ambulance. I'm sure this added to the stress. But I knew that I had an appointment to re check my blood at 9:30 A M today, so I just held off, and then when I got there I told the stand in doctor what was going on and she did 2 EKG's right there in the office. Thank God they were totally normal, and she compared them to an EKG I had in Nov and there were no changes. My blood pressure was high but we both attributed that to the fact that I had forgotten to take my meds this morning, which I never do, but like I said, I was pretty frittered. And also because I was so stressed. I told her I felt several times like I was going to have an anxiety attack, and she gave me a prescription for some valium, and told me to go get my blood drawn. By noon she had already called back with the results and told me my potassium was back to normal, and even climbing toward high. I know this is because I have really concentrated on food that is high in potassium this last week, so she told me to ease off a little and to cut back to 1 potassium pill a day instead of two. So I am feeling much better this evening. Thank God there has been no damage to my heart, but she said she was going to have her nurse call with an appointment for a stress echo for my heart. I have had these before and I hate them, but I will do whatever it takes to make sure my health isn't compromised. So things are looking up again.
February 26, 2007 227 pounds. Last week I did not enter my weight. I was up by one pound. I weighed 231.5 lb. Like if I don't record it, it didn't happen, right? Boy, old habits die hard. Anyway, my PCP kept harping on how I needed to up my calories because I wasn't getting enough. I was averaging between 500 and 800 calories a day so I knew she was right, and with the potassium scare, I wanted to do whatever she told me to do. It is just so hard to get in 1200 calories a day when your stomach is so small. And I don't like that uncomfortable feeling that comes with over-stuffing, even if just a little. So I tried upping my calories by drinking them. Orange juice, apple juice, chocolate milk. It worked and it was a heck of a lot easier. But on 1200 calories I gained a pound and I freaked. However, I kept doing as I was told because I am in this for my health, and this week I weighed and was happy to see that even with the extra calories I lost 4 pounds. I am a happy camper! I am feeling better, and closely monitoring my potassium, as well as my protein and calories. I keep a running tab all day long. This is a lot of work but I am in it for the long haul, and I am still not sorry that I had the surgery. Only sorry I did not pay closer attention to my surgeon when he said electrolytes are a big deal.
March %, 2997 226 pounds. I am feeling better and not feeling as anxious and worried as I was there for awhile. I guess everyone goes through the phase where they wonder if they did the right thing, but I never thought I would. Boy, was I wrong! The potassium scare was really a wake up call to monitor myself closely and check in with my PCP regularly. I wanted my health to be better, and when I started feeling so bad all the time I really questioned my decission. It would be just like me to fight my whole adult life for something that would eventually kill me. But I am better now, and much more optimistic. I get discouraged when I only lose one pound a week but the doc warned me that because I am over 50, post menepausal, and absolutely no thyroid function I would not lose as fast as everyone else, but there again, I thought I would be the exception to the rule. Not!
March 12, 2007 224.5...........A pound and a half? I guess I'll take it, but geez................maybe I should start exercising, but I am still tired really easy so I haven't quite psyched myself up to it yet.
March 19,2007 223.5..............At this rate, I'll never reach my goal.
March 26, 2007 220.5. 3 pounds. That's better!
April 2,2007.....217.5...........3 pounds again. Okay, feeling better now.
April 9, 2007................216. Again with the only one pound thing? Gimme a break!
April 16, 2007.....212.5. Wooo Hoooo! 3 1/2 pounds. I dream of the day I am under 200 pounds, and I am beginning to know that it is possible. I have started riding my recumbent bike for an hour everyday, with leg weights on my ankles. I am doing an hour a day.
April 23, 2007...209 pounds. God is good!
April 30, 2007...............209 pounds. Uh oh! And I complained when I only lost one pound a week. Wasn't expecting zero, zip, zilch. Bummer. On the bright side, my PCP took me off of one of my blood pressure pills. I am having a little trouble adjusting. I get a little dizzy and a little off balanced feeling. But I am sure this won't last long.
May 7, 2007...214 pounds. Holy Crap! I gained 5 pounds? I swear I didn't eat anything I shouldn't. I watched my portions carefully, and I have been exercising an hour everyday. (recumbent bike). And I'm still not adjusting to not taking the second blood pressure pill. I am going to see my PCP later today to have her check my blood pressure. I get really bad head aches, and think it may be up.
Update.....The blood pressure pill she took me off of had a diuretic component, and without it I gained 5 pounds in water weight. Also, my blood pressure was extremely high without it. 160/110! So she put me back on my HCTZ and assures me that I did not really gain anything, I just was no longer shedding my water weight. I feel better, but 5 pounds? Crapadoodle!
May 14, 2007.....209.5. Still 1/2 pound more than I weighed 2 weeks ago, but at least I am losing again.
May 21, 2007...204.5....Five pounds lost. now we're talking!
May 28, 2007....202 pounds!
June 4, 2007...202 pounds. I am in a holding pattern.
June 11, 2007...198 POUNDS! I am under 200! I sometimes wondered if I would ever see this day. Thank God for the surgery! I am thrilled every day when I wake up now. I am beginning to feel lighter, and move better. Clothes I haven't worn in two years fit again. Thank God for the surgery!
June 18,2007...198.5......I don't care! I am still under 200 and the scales can't take that away from me.
June 25, 2007....195! Alrighty then!
July 2, 2007.....193! Tomorrow I will be six months out and I have lost 73 pounds. Still exercising an hour a day, and I am down 4 dress sizes. For someone who is only 4'11" that is a really big deal. I am going to a barbecue on the 4th and my entire family will be there. What a blessing to know I can walk into a room and not be self conscious. Most of them have not seen me since the weight loss, because the last time I saw them was Christmas and then I had the surgery on Jan 3rd. What a difference to know that I don't have to dread family get togethers any more. Thank you, Jesus!I
