Stacey Corsa

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As I turn another page and hit another goal today...I now belong to the under 200 club! 198 was my weigh in this morning and as I sit here I am reminded of when I started. I was looking at my Obesity Help weight tracker tickers. I remember setting these up almost two and a half years ago. I looked at those tickers, very overwhelmed and looked at the other end of the ticker. I just sat there thinking there is no way I'm going to do this. I've never been able to do it. It's going to take forever. That's a lot of space for them to move....and now as I sit here almost speechless and unable to talk because of the lump in my throat, smile in my heart and tears flowing. I have nearly made it...I'm almost on the other side! It didn't take that long after all, and yes I could and did do it! Little by little they inched over further and further week by week and month by month. So next time you think you can't do it, think of me because if I can you certainly can. If you still think you can't...message me!

I apologize if I don't post that often, between work, school, and family i've been super busy! I have a Facebook Group if you are interested look for Bariatric Buddy's it's a closed group, a private space for you to feel safe in! Just find me on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/SCorsa or email me at [email protected] and put in the subject line Bariatric Buddy Request and I will help you get there.

 

 

I've lost a whole Adult person! Wow that is so weird. It doesn't seem real to me at all. Each day I put on my clothes I look at the pants and I'm like I really don't fit in those. I get amazed when they fit. I'm wearing a size 18 right now. When I started I was a 30/32. This whole journey has been a whirlwind of firsts, mixed emotions, and craziness! I'm in the beginning, Only 8 months post-op I weigh 226. So weird to think I only have 66 lbs to goal weight. My next goal is almost here, to weigh less than my husband, then to weigh 199...I haven't been under 200 pounds since 6th Grade or 7th Grade!

I wish anyone reading this all the luck and encouragement because you too can do this. I started my journey out January 2011 and that will forever be the month that changed my entire life for the better....mind~spirit~and now finally Body!

Love and peace to all!
Stacey

Wow it has been 3 months already since surgery and I can't express how much better I feel. If anyone is reading this they are probably sitting here thinking, man doesn't this chick have anything bad to say? LOL Well I'll tell you I have had my bad moments, crazy moments but they are all behind me and not documented online. Part of growing and going through the mental stages pre-surgery. That was the hard road for me. Once I conquered those demons it free'd my soul. Literally, I felt the weight lift off my shoulder and was able to focus on ME!

Before I get too far off track here I need to tell you about my 3 Month Post Op Check up. I saw my nutritionist. My iron was low, my B12 was previously low but we got that back up by going and getting the B12 shot. I'll stick with that monthly. I think my iron is low because silly me wasn't paying attention to my coffee intake after taking my iron supplement. So I'm being careful and waiting 2 hours after my iron before drinking my decaf and of course no dairy or calcium! I've lost 71 pounds post op woohoo shout it from the roof tops!!!!  That makes a total of (drum roll.....) 96 pounds since August 27, 2011~~~woohoo~~~!!



Now I need to talk about slipping...I've slipped out of some of my habits and really need to get back into them. I need to get back to logging my food intake daily and get back to exercise! Those are my two goals and I need to get cracking before it gets too far out of control. I know my eating is ok but I need to make sure that I am getting everything my body needs daily. So...Priority! Food Logging and Exercise!

I will make an appointment 3 times a week, non-negotiable...exercise shall happen at these times no exceptions!

As I reflect upon all of 2011 all I can do is say wow! Everyone is thinking about resolutions and promises and trying to figure out how they are going to get thinner, exercise more, quit smoking, get richer, etc. Everyone here has gone through or is about to go through changes that are mind blowing! I started my journey a year ago and what a ride it has been. The ride has been a lot of things but easy is not one of them. I've been turned around, turned inside out, battered, ripped to shreds, reconstructed, rediscovered, lost, found, loved, and on the road to success and health. I literally started in the dark and now I'm in the light and loving myself and life for the first time in my life. I'm only 5 weeks post op, the beginning of the surgical changes, but to me the hardest part, learning to love myself enough to make these changes has been achieved.

For anyone trying to make a lifestyle change like this, I truly believe loving yourself is the first step. The second step is finding your triggers and finding out really why food is our enemy and then getting the triggers out of our lives. The third step sweeping the negativity out of our lives one thing/person at a time. Unfortunately for me this meant I had to seperate myself from a lifetime of toxic relationship with my parents. I was codependent to my mother and totally enmeshed with her. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life standing up to them and standing on my own for the first time in 37 years, but it was the best thing I could ever do for myself and my family. After a few months I was able to forgive them for a lifetime of pain and that is when I truly started to fly. Don't get me wrong, forgiving didn't mean they were back in my life. For me to get rid of the anger and hurt I had to move on and put it in the past. June 1st, I went no contact, on August 27th I forgave and that is when my life truly changed for the best. Don't get me wrong, I will always love them, I just can't be part of the madness, I won't go into the nasty - it's in the past, but for anyone with negativity and issues please seek a psychologist and counselor who specializes in a bariatric program and is trained to help find eating triggers and deal with family matters. I am a recovering Binge Eater, Emotional Eater. One of the first things I did on my own was write a letter to each one of those habits banishing them from my life. It is very powerful taking control of your life!

I'm not going to make resolutions, I have my goals already in place and plan to keep making them. This year was my time, my time to break out. I've been so blessed this year, there is nothing I can not achieve! I can not wait to see wait next year has in store for me and I hope you have a great year coming as well.

End of 2011 (5 weeks post op) I'm down 70 pounds (32 pounds is post op), 2 Clothing sizes, I have discovered my collar bone, new ribs, I can sit in theater seats without them digging into my thighs, and I am thankful every single day for this second chance at life! I feel like I've awaken from a coma and everything is colorful!

Everyone have a happy and safe New Year's Eve.
Peace and Love

Stacey

Ok so I'm sitting here recovering from a very emotional clothing experience! lol I went to my closet and looked at my 2X Nickelback Concert Tee and thought...hmmm. I put it on and it FIT! OMG IT FIT!! I screamed at the top of my lungs and then exploded into a puddle of tears! Out of all the concerts I've been to, this is the only tshirt I have to show for it. The only one I kept. I've never been able to fit into a concert T-shirt before. Music is my life! I'm still choked up as I write this. Just 3 weeks ago I was still 4X. I'm in a fog. Just can't believe it. My husband just happened to call and check up on me and immediately he knew I'd been crying he's like what is wrong, I said nothing...he said um ok..I said no I'm happy..lol then telling him again I started up crying again! lol I couldn't even really remember the last time I wore a 2x...had to be around 5th/6th grade. I wish Jeans were comfy..I'd be checking those out too! lol

Stacey

Bariatric Buddy's Come check it out!

http://www.facebook.com/groups/bariatricbuddys/

Tell your friends!!         I've intended this to be a safe positive environment! No abuse will be tolerated.

Stacey

I am thankful for so much. First and foremost my family and friends, my Surgeon and the staff and Memorial Medical Center. They are so wonderful! My friends at my Bariatric Group, my Nutritionist Micah!  I'm SO grateful that I haven't had any issues with anything I've tried so far! lol I am really thankful that I waited so long to have this surgery. I am at a place in my life I know I will be successful. I have overcome my demons. I think that is the most important thing. I've been overwieght all my life, a recovering emotional binge-eater. I started counseling in March and figured out my triggers and removed them from my life. It was the hardest thing in the world to do. I started using exercise as my stress outlet which feels so awesome. There is nothing like walking 2 miles a day to get your blood going. I miss it and can't wait to get back to it!  I can't wait to see what is around the corner. I don't know where I am in weight loss, and really I'm not even interested to know yet. I know I have a lot of swelling, tissues holding water and all,  but I can see changes in my body already, my husband can see them too. I feel like the next year is just going to be like christmas morning every month! lol  Just because you've had the surgery doesn't mean it's time to take the training wheels off. I'm still going to see my counselor, my nutritionist and go to my group meetings. You can't have enough support!  Attitude is everything...remember thoughts turn into things...choose the good ones!

Well patient beware! HA! Day 1 certainly gave me a false sense of security! I've never had major sugery before so I thought wow, piece of cake! lol Boy what i didn't know!  Ok so not to scare you it's really not so bad but boy that gas! Between the surgery gas build-up and your body soreness/stiffness you take a side step after day 1. I'm just going to lay it out there now..it has never ever felt so good to pass gas! lol as my Doctor said, you gotta rip them now and then and it feels good! lol Ok I know it's a taboo subject for us women but hey, you gotta pass the gas or you WILL be miserable! I was singing the praises let me tell ya!

Filling your pouch on top of the gas pressure was like PMS x's 100! I felt bigger than a barn, pressure was even hurting my spine, couldn't get comfortable...hmmm come to think of it...it reminded me of my ninth month of pregnancy! Once I got over the gas hurdle and it started going away...my first BM and all that I started feeling normal again...whew! That was about 8 hours or so of discomfort and it also keeps you from making your liquid goals. I'm up to 6-8 oz an hour so i really turned around after that.  I'm still having discomfort walking around, not making as long as walks as I was day 1. My incisions on my right side sort of burn/sting a bit so I just move more often in shorter spurts. Drinking my protein, water, crystal light is pretty good. My blood sugar keeps going low but I'm not getting much in the way of nutrition right now so that isn't too shocking. Vegetable Broth has been my staple breakfast lunch and dinner with a side of coffee, crystal lite and beneprotien. The sugar Free Jello was WAY too sweet!

I am expecting to be able to go home today. I am really hoping to.  I am doing pretty well other than the blood sugar thing, but even then I'm not really having any symptoms. I'm ready to blow this popsicle stand!

Wow is all I have to say. I made it. I'm so happy and proud. It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The pain is bearable. I'm stuffed on 3 oz of liquid. That is a trip! lol I'm trying to get in 4 oz per hour. I just got my first ounce of vegetable broth. It tastes awesome! So far it is staying down. The lemonade crystal light did to. The hardest part was being so thirsty and only allowed an ounce of ice chips per hour. I get to walk around every 4 hours or more often if i want which id awesome. I'm thinking about moving to a chair. I'm pretty tired of this bed already. I'm so far in pretty good spirits with a little crankiness now and again from being tired. Cat nap is the word of the day. Slight headach moving in. I can't sleep on my side very long. I hate sleeping on my back and sitting up is no good. I'll check in with you all later.

Peace, love, and light!
Stacey

16 pounds in 6 days from the pre-op diet! Is this what this is going to be like? My catch phrase this week has been OMG it fits. I've gone down another pants size and shirts that are skin tight are hanging and I haven't even had surgery yet. I thought I was excited the other day...I'm super stoked now. The first three days of the Pre-Op diet were hard towards the evening but now I am totally adjusted to it. Today i went out to lunch with my best friend at a buffet and was totally cool with just lettuce, tomato, carrot, onion and very little balsamic dressing with unsweetened tea. I walked out full. I was totally blown away. None of the other food bothered me.

This has been my menu for the past week Basic format Drinking coffee and crystal light all day long lol typically 96 oz fluid daily or more. 115 g Protein, 125 Carb, 1,000 Calories are my goals set by my nutritionist and I'm right at my goals daily so I'm doing great! Taking my Pre-Op Vitamins and Fiber as well. I'm allowed unlimited non-starchy vegies but I'm taking it easy on those.
Early Morning: Protein Drink
Breakfast: Yogurt with Decaf Coffee or oatmeal
Mid Morning: Protein Shake
Lunch: Cream of wheat and a 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce or 1 Cup Sugar Free Pudding
Mid Afternoon: Protein Shake
Dinner: Broth and carrots with Plain Yogurt Hidden Valley Ranch Dip  Or Vegetarian Stir fry
After Dinner: Protein Shake
Dessert: 1 Cup Sugar Free Pudding or Sugar Free Jell-O or Sugar Free Popsicle

So I've mastered this now too so I'm off and running ! WOOHOO ToWaNdA! So ready!  I just hope I can keep my spirits up and thank God every day for all the blessings he has given me this year and for all the support he has given me. I thank my family and friends for all the encouragment and love. You all are SuPeR StArS!  

Stacey