Karen Johnson

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Well its been a while since I posted I guess I have been busy.  But I had been really frustrated lately so I went to the gym.  I really did not work out hard, just enough to blow off some steam.  Had my second fill last Friday, and i think that I now feel some restriction.  Things had really slowed down for me since my last post, but I feel more energized now that I have gotten the fill.  I am back on my routine and feeling better.  Between work and school, I really have been tired.  I am now on winter break and I have next week off from work, so I have to have some quality "Karen" time.  I plan on getting my workouts in early and doing a big closet purge.  this is way over due.  I am down a little over 30 lbs and clothes are really begining to look bad.  I really wanted to lose 50 lbs by this time, but I am happy with the 30.  I am also hoping with the 2nd fill that will happen.  I am truly blessed and thankfull for my blessings.  Until the next update.

Well today I really had a "Wow Moment".    I went down to my boss' office and I had on a pair of jeans and a longsleeve shirt (tucked in with a belt) and she made a comment "WOW" you have on a belt and your shirt is tucked in your pants!  I had not realized that I had not worn my shirt tucked in before.  She also said that my jeans were too big and I really need to go down a size.  I had to go in the bathroom and check myself out in the mirror.  I had to admit that the outfit was a little too big, but not enough for me to get rid of it just yet.  I looked like a person losing weight.  (HOW FREAKY IS THAT?)    I am finally noticing my clothes fit me better and it some cases are too big.  Although the weight loss is slower that I would have expected, its still coming off.    

Now as far as the whole band thing is working, I have to admit, I am hungry at times.   I can tell if I eat too much, I have learned to stop forcing food down.  I have learned to listen to my body, and when I am full just stop.  I really don't think that I have hit my "sweet spot" yet, maybe on the next fill. My doctor seems to have faith in me, he has not scheduled another fill until December, currently I have 1.5cc in my band.  Some days I am full while other daysI am hungry.  I really try to make good food choices.  I am even cooking more that normal, so that's a plus to.  I  decided not to get on the scale for a while, think that I am becoming obsessed.  I do have to go to my diebetes doctor tomorrow, so I will have to get on his scale, but I have not seen him since before surgery, so he should be impressed.  All and all I am feeling really good. 

Well I had my 1st fill yesterday and it was not bad at all.  I had been really hungry the past two weeks so I knew I was in need of a fill.  Put Dr. Singh was great.  It took a few seconds.  Well I am on liquids until tomorrow, but they are filling me up.  Todate I have lost 25lbs and I feel amazing.  My sister just submitted her and her husband's paperwork to the insurance company so hopefully they will get approved within the next month.  

Well I am feeling great and looking great, life is good. 

Well its been a month, and I am really feeling good.  I am back to work, and back to working out at the gym as well.  I have left the mushy stage of food and I have actually had a lean cuisine.  Although I cannot eat the entire thing it still taste good.  My next scheduled appointment is 8/30 and I think that I am going to get my first fill.  I really don't know what to expect.  I have been doing really well with my food journal, thanks to fitday.com.  This week at the gym I have been going hard for 30-40 minutes.  Although I have not started lifting any weights, I am only doing cardo.  I try to switch cardo machines each day, so that I don't get bored.  I am actually down around 25lbs, but I have to admitt that I have not been on the scale at all this week.  Now that I am working out, I am begining to feel hungry throughout the day.  So maybe it is time for a fill, we shall see on the 30th.  All and all I am very pleased with my band. 

Well I am now 12 days out and I feel really good.  The surgery itself went great.  There were some other tramaic issues that happened on the day of my surgery that actually made the recovery easier.  I think that I never really had time to think about my own personnal pain so before I knew it I was up and moving around like nothing was wrong.  

With everything that has been going on, I have been surprised that I have not eaten myself sick.  But to my surprise I have maintain good self control with my eating.  I am down 15 lbs so far and that is great.  My blood sugar is stable and holding its own.  My two week checkup is scheduled for tomorrow and I think that I am going to start walking at the gym tomorrow.  Maybe 30 minutes on the treadmill.  The only really problem that I am having is that I cannot get the protien in.  At this point nothing taste good, so the protien that I loved prior to surgery I really don't like that much now.  Hopefully that will change with time.  My sister and brother-in-law both had their consultation with Dr. Singh last week so they too are also on their way to being banded soon.  Well until next time................

Well tomorrow is the big day.  Today however I have completely stressed myself out.  It started with a call from the doctors office that my pre-op lab work had not yet arrived at the hospital.  (Keep in mind that I got those test done on the 29th of June).  Within 15 minutes I had received 3 more calls looking for the blood work.  I did not yell I just counted to 100 and began to make calls.  After speaking with the nurse I had to wait until the doctor came in and he contacted the hosptial where the lab work was done and faxed it all over.  After that my mom called, from San Jaun, PR.  They left on Friday (7/13) to go on a cruise and had forgotten 2 of their bags.  I had FedEx the bags on Saturday and Monday when they arrived in PR the bags were not there.  By the end of the day FedEx had located the bags and they were there the entire time.  with all that going on, I had just had enough.  But its now 6:30 pm and things have finally calmed down.  Just had dinner (which did not consist of much considering I am on liquids, but it was enough to get me through.  As much as I felt like eating a good cheesebuger (I guess I was have a "last super" moment, I just made some good crab soup and took a hot shower.  Now I think that I am going to vegitate infront of the tv and wait until my friend gets off from work.  I called him and told him that all I wanted to do was to curl up in his bed, turn off my cell phone and blackberry and just sleep.  Well the shower and the Tv are both calling my name so until next time POST-OP Now that sounds nice.

Well the day is almost here.  I have been doing very well on my 2 week liquid pre-op diet.  I actually got on the scale yesterday and I had lost 4 lbs in one week.  I had my first "I miss food" meltdown and survived.  I had a conversation with my mother that I could not believe that I was so connected to food.  But that meltdown was short lived so things are back to normal (what ever normal is).   I went to the club with my friends last night and i only had one drink and really could not do a lot of dancing just because I really was not in the mood just went to celebrate my friends birthday.  

I think that I have been so busy trying to plan everything that I have not had a chance to get nervous.  I think the day of it will all hit me.  Anyway, until next time be happy, healthy and safe. 

Peace and Blessings

Well I am less than 2 week from surery date and I am feeling excited and scared.  Started drinking protein shakes just to get the taste of them and get my body ready for all of this.  I have not really had the energy to work out, because I have been working a lot of overtime trying to get work done before I go on leave.  But the weekend is coming and grass needs to be cut so I guess that I will get some exercise in.  The challenage will be this weekend, because this is festival time in Baltimore, and I plan on attending the AFRAM festival.  I just need to keep in mind to drink, drink, drink! 

Well it's finally here.  July 17th is the day.  I just got off the phone with the doctors office and I was approved.    I am so excited that I don't know what to do.  I am making a to-do-list as I type.  I am sure that I am going to go through a string of emotions between now and then so hold on.

Well things seem to moving on a fast past.  I meet with the nutrionious on Wednesday and that afternoon the Dr's office called and informed me that they were submitting my paperwork to the insurance company.  I meet with the theropist on Tuesday and after that I have to attend the pre-op class and wait for a surgery date.  I am actually getting excited.  I am still working out and that kind of takes my mind off of things, Until the next update.