Who's Up For A Group Challenge??

Back in the day there were all these great BOOBS group challenges.  Well to be frank, I miss those days!  I know not everyone is blogging the way they used to, but are y'all still reading out there??  Can we maybe set up a group challenge again?  Please comment if you'd be interested in joining a challenge, or administering one (I could give it a try, but I know some people have already done it and may find it a little easier than me).  Let me know.  I'm missing the community of the BOOBS.  Though I'm not banded any longer, that doesn't mean that I need our community any less.  Where you at ladies??

New Job, Mom's Rock & 8 Weeks Post-Op

Tomorrow is my 8 week mark post-revision to the sleeve.  I am still chugging along.  They say, slow and steady wins the race right?  (I keep telling myself that hoping I'll believe it one of these times)  Things are progressing, albeit slow.  I've been about 210 for a little bit now.  I admit, I haven't planned nearly as much as I should lately.  I KNOW that I do better when I plan, but that hasn't been the case much.  I have some non-scale victories to report though!  My mom is super sweet and the cutest thing ever.  She sent me $100 to get a few new items to wear to my new job (I'll get to that in a minute...).  In NYC, $100 doesn't usually go very far, so I took my ass to Target and hit the mark down racks, then to Old Navy and hit up whatever sales were going on.  Here is me 8-weeks post op, taking a pic to send to my mom to prove I was buying clothes with her money and not making student loan payments:

Now here is my victory.  I am wearing size 16 pants in this pic (don't mind the crazy hair day I'm having, I think I used a fork for a comb or something), and the pants are actually a little too big!  Not only that, both the top and the sweater are size large and fit just fine!  NO XL's or XXL's here!!  That's a first!  I don't know how long it's been since I was able to be totally out of the XL zone.  I'm shrinking before my very own eyes!  Even though the scale isn't screaming "you've made it to the 100's!" just yet, my body is whispering (...you're almost there!).  I am committing in the very moment to go walking a minimum of 3 lunchtimes this week.  

I mentioned a little while back that I was interviewing for a new position in my hospital where I work.  Well I got the job!!  Woot!!  I gave my 2-week notice and will be starting my new position on October 14.  I am very excited to move on to something more challenging.  Of course this means tons more work, with not a huge pay increase, but I'm hoping that I will be able to prove myself important enough very soon to get a promotion that my new boss said we will have to get the compensation department to note and pay me accordingly.  All in all this has been an excellent couple of weeks.  I have been totally distracted from meal planning and school because of all this new job business, but I'm prepping to have a great fall season.  Squash recipes await!

Ten Things Thursday aka Coming Out of My Slump

1. I'm NOT crazy (and neither are you Dawnya!).  I spoke to the doc and nutritionist and both agree that I have been experiencing Dumping Syndrome on occasion.  This is usually due to poor food/beverage choices.  Funny thing is, I don't make them often, but when I make em, they're pretty bad and the symptoms SUCK ASS.  At least now I know what the heck is going on.  I had thought this only happens with bypass patients, but they assured me that it is now becoming evident that VSG patients also experience this too.
2.  Took a quiz in my Spanish class Monday.  Had no idea about it since I took off class on 9/11, so I quickly learned all new material 10 min before class and still rocked an 88%!
3. Saw my doc/nutritionist for my 6 week follow up as I mentioned before.  I've lost 16 pounds since my surgery date.  I was concerned with a recent stall but I am encouraged by my visit.  I think all will be ok. 
4. Exercise needs priority.  I need to get on this!  Feel free to hold me accountable!
5. I'm still waiting to hear the "official" news on the job I interviewed for.  Seems like it's a Jewish holiday every other day this month.  I'm on hold again. lol.  Keep your fingers crossed.  It's pretty official that I got the job, just all the kinks need to get worked out.
6. I still really want to get a bike.  Just a beach cruiser or something not too crazy difficult to manage.  Anyone got an old one they want to donate to a fat girl, feel free to speak up! ;)
7. The weekend is only 24 short hours away.  I'm stoked.
8. I got volunteered by my fiance to cook dinner for his family for Thanksgiving.  This NYer is going to be cooking a big southern family a Thanksgiving dinner...  IN ALABAMA.  No pressure there!  Not to mention, I'll probably not even have dinner, as we all know that just taking bites to test for seasoning etc will likely be enough to fill me up!  Is it weird that I'm already planning and it's 2 months away?
9. I miss my mama and want her to come visit, but I know it's expensive to fly and that she's saving to come to the wedding in Alabama next summer, so I feel bad even considering asking her to come.  But I miss her.
10. I'm excited to see the Harvest Moon tonight!  The man and I are driving to a nice lookout point tonight at the very south end of Brooklyn to get a nice view.

And there you have it!  Whew... didn't know if I would get through that one!  I'm def in a good mood today.  Hoping nothing knocks it down.

Progress Report?

I'm nearly 6 weeks post-revision.  I average about 700-800 calories a day. My weight hasn't budged in about 3-4 weeks. I am pretty frustrated.  I have a follow up appt on Wednesday with my doctor and nutritionist. I'm hoping to get some recommendations because things should be moving along by now.  I gotta say it's got me a little depressed.  I'd be lying to say I'm not. I've planned much of my meals for the week. Lets hope to see some change soon. 

Ok ok... This is the last one tonight!

Night before surgery 

4 1/2 weeks post-surgery

Again night before...

And today...

 Making any progress?

This is right before Lapband surgery back in June 2011. What a fatty!

Pics!!

These photos are from today which is 4 weeks and 3 days post-revision surgery. I am about 213 now. 

This pic is from 2 weeks 3 days post surgery in a restaurant bathroom on my trip! This was about 218. 

I need to do a side by side!

Ten Things Thursday

I always struggle with these lists of 10 but here goes anyway!

1. I went back to work this week and yes, I am back on a schedule. I seems to be helping with the grazing.  I'm still not really losing in numbers but my clothes are getting bigger.  

2. After being off work for 4 weeks, upon my return I realized just how much I dislike my position. I have been waiting for a job to be posted in another department for a couple months.  It was posted in my absence but the hiring physician was sure to notify me to get in and apply. I was told by someone in the know that I'm pretty much a shoe in for the job.  I had to submit my salary requirements and resume.  I have been in the same position for 8 years so it was a little foreign to me to need to do this.  I asked for a significant increase from my current job on the advice of a friend.  She says men always make more than women because they're not afraid to ask for what they're worth.  She told me to go for it, so I did. I had to remind myself of my worth.

3. During my time off from work we went to Alabama so I could meet my future in-laws. While there we went to Decatur for a day and we fell in love with a park on the Tennessee River for our wedding venue.  I finally know where it is I am getting married! Now to settle on a date!

4. Employee satisfaction surveys happen at work next week.  We are a massive institution with over 20,000 employees in our combined campuses.  Amazingly my department has had the lowest ratings in the entire institution for 2 years running.  Meaning that out of alllll the employees in the entire place, even the people scrubbing toilets, my department has the most dissatisfied employees.  No wonder I want out.  Apparently I'm not the only one.

5. I have no pants that fit.  Well, maybe one pair of jeans, but they are not work appropriate. I wish the weather would change to fall so I can wear my sweater dresses and tights again.  

6. I'm struggling to get into my on,ine course this semester.  The professor is really unorganized and has a haphazard way of presenting the required work which frustrates me. Is makes it very easy to go on Pinterest and create my wishful thinking wedding instead. 

7. Speaking of Pinterest... Man are there some great ideas on there.  I have gotten completely inspired for my wedding and how to make it really awesome making all the decorations myself.  Only trouble is, I would have needed to start making them 3 years ago in order to ready in time.  Looks like I'm going to have to put my mom to work! She's just hangin out being all retired and stuff anyway. ;)

8. I might kick my fiancé if he doesn't stop messin with me right now. Good thing he's cute or he'd already have been kicked twice already.

9. I got some new mini-muffin and mini-loaf pans in the mail from amazon today.  I can't wait to try out a couple of new recipes from www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com.  Anyone try her breqkfast egg bites or mini meat loafs?

10. I need to drink more water and walk more.  Point blank.  Both need to happen. I'm getting better about the walking but the water really needs to get better this week.  I think I need to find a water container that I actually like, maybe that will help. I love water but for some reason I'm slacking on the intake.  

Well there you have it.  I made it through my 10 things.  I don't know how interesting that was but I did it!  Still need to take pics...

4 Weeks Post Revision

I am 4 weeks out from surgery today. I need to take pics but my fiancé has company and it's getting late so it looks like I'll take some tomorrow. I was dropping a bunch of weight in the beginning but things seem to have slowed significantly since the two week mark. I was losing a lot really quick then I went to Alabama for 9 days. I was hoping to see a nice loss after being away from the scale but to my surprise I was down only 1 pound. This past week I lost about 2 pounds. So basically I was dropping like gang busters the first two weeks and the second two weeks only lost about 3-3 1/2 pounds. I get in about 600-800 calories on a typical day. I admit my water intake hasn't been its best. I'm sure that has also been a contributing factor to the constipation I had too. Once that passed it was just the opposite. My tummy was upset and everything went right through me for about 3 days (sorry to be graphic). Today I had a decent day as far as eating goes. I think I did eat out of boredom a couple times though. I've been off work for a month and the anticipation of going back to work tomorrow definitely triggered some emotional eating. Not that I can eat large quantities but I did eat when I wasn't hungry. I hope going back to work and getting back on a regimen will get things back on track. 

There is one thing that I'd like to ask the sleevers out there if they're reading. I had an experience a couple times since surgery that I wonder if anyone else has had. After drinking an iced latte sweetened with some simple syrup (a very small amount, sorry I hate the taste of aspartame, so don't say sweet n low or I'll give you the stank eye!) I had what felt like a strange reaction. I got the cold sweats and felt very nauseated and weak. I am not sure if it was the coffee or the sugar or if I was having a blood sugar drop. It kind of made me think of the "dumping syndrome" that I read about in bypass patients. It felt miserable and wiped me out of commission for a couple hours before I felt ok again, oh and did I mention that I puked a little? Not a full on wretch (again sorry for the gory details) but I did bring up a bit of coffee. Maybe it was the milk?? I don't know what to make of it.  If anyone else has experienced something similar let me know.  And if so, any suggestions on how to deal with this?

Well that is my 4 week report.  On to full solids tomorrow. Easing into it.  Wish me luck. I'll be avoiding the coffee cart tomorrow though, that's for sure!