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.

10 Days Out

That's right kids!  It's been 10 whole days since surgery.  Time is flying!  It's sad to think that I'm already 1/2 through my time off work... SOOO we'll stick to the positive things!  Lets look at some stats for instance.

6/18/13 248 lbs -Dr. visit to start the process to seek insurance approval again for revision
7/11/13 240 lbs -Began pre-op diet (it's usually only for 2 weeks but my nutritionist decided she wanted to torture me I guess
8/5/13 228 lbs -Surgery Day! (Seeing that the torture paid off)
8/14/13 218 lbs -First follow up appointment with Dr/Nutritionist

So there you have it folks...  I am officially down 30 lbs from 6/18/13.  And if we want to look wayyyy back to before I got my band starting my pre-op diet in 2011, I was 287 lbs.  (I was even more before that!).  So basically in all from band to post-revision I am down about 70 lbs.  I feel accomplished.  

Tights... NOT Plus Sized.

I am wearing tights today...  NOT plus sized tights.  They are tights from the ladies department in a size XL.  I don't mind that they are size XL.  Not one bit.  For the simple fact that I am able to wear some cute sweater tights under my dress that are NOT plus sized and did not cost me a fortune is a NSV for me.  I am so damned proud to be wearing these silly tights today.  You couldn't tell me a thing.  Now, if only I could find a pair of boots that would zip up all the way...  That would be a huge accomplishment.  I have 20" calves and there are few companies that make them that big, and the ones that do... well, lets just say that the boots look cheap or manish.  I'll stick to booties in the meanwhile.  Today is a good day.  :-)

Filler up!

It's been a hectic and stressful couple of months around my way.  Thankfully I can say it is starting to ease a bit.  A few weeks back I had gotten an unfill to ease up my band.  With the stress at home, my apparent race to keep up with the speed of others eating around me, and will my lack of chewing skill I was getting stuck left and right.  Then I would absentmindedly chug some water on top of that... No Bueno.  So an unfill to take off some of the stress while I got myself back on track.  It was useful for a while, but as time went on, I noticed that I was able to eat most anything and I found myself pushing the boundaries while stress eating or when I was looking for comfort foods.  I needed to get with the program and realize that I HAD SURGERY FOR CRIPES SAKE.  So I booked an appointment with the nurse practicioner and headed off for a fill.  We decided to put in 0.5 mL.  This is the same amount that we had taken out previously when I felt too tight while under stress.  I was on clear liquids yesterday and today onto soft foods (though I only had a protein shake and a bowl of pea soup so far). 
Basically I had abandoned myself in my journey for a while in persuit of helping a friend.  While it's good to help the people around you, I think it's important to stick to my personal commitments to myself.  THIS WAS A HUGE COMMITMENT!!!  What the heck have I been doing?  So I'm officially back on the wagon.  Go me!

New Clothes!!!

I'm shrinking and so it's getting high time that I buy some new clothes.  I bought this sassy number from asos...

I also bought a couple more...

and...

I'm not quite out of the plus sized section, but I'm pretty sure by the spring I will be.  These dresses should hold me through the winter for work.  I am trying to buy things that I can style with belts, sweaters and such as they get too big.  Being that it's fall/winter, layering is expected so I'm not too worried. 

So how am I doing on the journey?  I have no idea!  I decided to stop stepping on the scale for a while.  I need to give it a break.  I started all this so that I would FEEL better.  Looking better is the bonus.  And the number on the scale is just that... A NUMBER.  I won't let it define my progress.  I'm enjoying watching my clothes get saggy on me.  While it's frustrating when looking for something to wear, it's kind of fun to redefine how I present myself to the world.  I'm so tired of wearing jersey knit and clothes with lycra and stretch!  I want to wear some nice fabrics!  I deserve it.  I work hard for my money and I deserve to feel good in the things that I spend that money on. 

You Haven't Been Kicking Hard Enough!!!

Yeah, I could blame this all on you... my readers...  Not encouraging me enough, or giving me a hard enough time, etc.  But in reality, I am the only one who can take the blame for slacking.  And boy have I been slacking.  I have had a friend staying with me for the past few weeks who is going through a major life crisis.  The kind where exes and children and lawyers are involved.  Things have been massively stressful for him, and as I have a tendency to get personally invested, I too have become stressed, unfocused and bigger.  Not really bigger.  That's an exaggeration, but I have not gotten smaller.  I haven't been working out (nearly at all).  I have been eating a bit poorly.  I have been consuming on average, a bit more booze.  And the stress had also caused my band to be soooo tight that I needed to have an unfill to be able to eat at all.  And now I'm a pig.  So... that being said.  I need to get myself back on track.  I feel as though my life has fallen off track a bit and I need to get focused on getting it together again.  I am committing myself to writing here on every Monday and Friday minimum, as to keep me accountable.  I will resume tracking my food intake daily.  I will also be sure to get moving more, at least 2-3 times a week for starters.  Wish me luck.  I need to keep my head on straight and learn to cope with having a house guest in crisis without taking it all on myself as well.  See you soon with positive reports! (I hope...)

Devil Inside...

Man o man have I been bad about updating.  I have been really pretty busy the past couple weeks.  I have a close friend going through a personal crisis, and as per usual, I extend myself to those in need around me (almost to a fault at times).  It has been an emotional couple weeks for him (and couple weeks to come for sure as well).  Though his woahs have nothing to do with me really, they definitely have been having an effect on me.  I am seeing that I need to use some of this pent up energy and get more exercise in.  Tonight I plan on

Side by Side??

 I am attempting to do a side by side comparison.  What should be on the left in the blue dress, just 6 days post-op.  I was still a bit swollen. And on the right is me just yesterday, 9 weeks post-op.  I don't know if I see much of

Falling Behind, Losing Momentum

It's been a pretty busy month, but I can't seem to figure out how.  Ever feel like you're running in place?  Working really hard, but not really going anywhere?  Yeah...  It's kind of like that right now.  I'm trying to find balance, but not doing a very good job of it.  I'm not going to make this post about bitching and moaning though.  I just need to reflect a little.  

I got my first fill on July 13.  I haven't experienced any of the dreaded sliming or PBing that I have heard people talk about.  I have experienced the "stuck" sensation though.

My First Fill!

I just got back from getting my first fill.  What a strange sensation when it was being filled.  It was super subtle but I could feel something changing.  The nurse practitioner had to make 2 attempts to access my port.  I believe that she gets a little skiddish at times, being that when she had to remove my stitch, she was unable to do it, and knicked me a little before giving up and having the surgeon take care of it.  Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with nurse practitioners, I just think this one gets a little self doubting of her abilities at times.  The fill itself was not painful at all.  I did not even feel her insert the needle.  Not even a little bit... either time.  I didn't really even bleed really, just a couple specks on the gauze and that was it.  I am on liquids for the rest of the day, and I have had some water and a protein shake.  I feel the restriction now.  It's going to be weird to see what it feels like once I actually have food.  Any words of advice for a first fill from my veterans??

Intimidation

Today I have a confession.  There are so many things that I avoid due to intimidation.  I know it's probably ridiculous, but I am intimidated by a lot of things.  People who know me and who are reading this are probably thinking "yeah right, Ivy intimidated?", but it is true.  My mother can tell you that in childhood, I was afraid of EVERYTHING.  

Jogging for the First Time!

So I've been back on that Brooklyn Bridge again.  Sunday I got up early, threw on my sneakers and hit the bridge and did 2.7 miles.  I had to explore a bit to find a place to park near there, but once I finally did, I was off and walking.  I have a NSV to report.  I actually JOGGED.  

BOOBS Challenge

Hey gang.  I'm creeping up towards my 1 month bandiversary!  For those of who don't know what BOOBS is, it is a group of Banded Bloggers who have formed a community on these here internets.  

Frustration

I'm going to just say it.  I'm frustrated.  I am at the same weight that I was 2 weeks ago.  I was down to 264 and now I'm up to 266.6.  Now I know for some people, they might say it's only 2 pounds!, but it's frustrating right now.  I had been on a steady path downward in weight and now after moving onto solid food, I'm gaining.  I have not been eating poorly.  I have kept my calorie intake between 1000-1300 calories.  I have had at least 60-80 grams of protein.  I keep my sugar and fat intake on the low side.  I could get more exercise.  Actually, I'm going to get off this computer and go get some more walking in.  Wish me luck.  I want to keep moving in the right direction and that is down, not up!

Pre-Op Video

This is a little video that I shot right before leaving to the hospital on the day of my surgery.  I forgot about it till now but thought I'd share it so that y'all could see how I was feeling the day of.  

Counting Calories & Feeling Lonely

So many things to update.  I've been to the doctor for my first follow up.  I finally got my stitches removed.  Only one of my incisions had an actual stitch that needed removing, but it was right at my bra line and was making me crazy.  Thank goodness it's out!  I've also been to the nutritionist.  I'm off the purees and onto real food again!!!

Gettin My Exercise On!

I can now say that I'm getting back into the swing of things.  Last night, my fellow bandster buddy and I went walking and we did the Brooklyn Bridge.  From end to end the bridge is 1.5 miles, so in total we walked 3 miles last night.  

My Scale is Stuck!! (2 Weeks Post-Op)

Tomorrow it will be 2 weeks since my surgery.  I have been on pureed food since the surgery, which for me has mostly been soup, yogurt, protein shakes, and smoothies.  It's been challenging to get in enough calories and proteins each day.  

Creeping Back Towards Normal

Well I'm 9 days out from surgery and I'm starting to feel a bit more like myself.  I'm 5 days away from the stage in my diet where I can progress to soft foods.  I cannot tell you how excited I am for this.  It's not that I want to eat a bunch of bad foods or anything like that.  It is more so that I want something that isn't liquefied in my system.  My digestion is a bit screwy the last week, and I could appreciate some normalcy.  Pardon the bluntness, but I've never really been one to hold back.  


I am down just under 23 lbs as of this morning.  I am excited to watch the numbers go down, and watch my clothes becoming a little more loose.  I've been reading some other people's blogs today.  The difference between reading the blogs pre-surgery and post-surgery is that now, other than jitters and emotions, I have something to connect with.  I am finding comfort in other peoples accounts of the woes and victories, the same or similar woes and victories that I'm facing.  I'm also finding it comforting to see how people felt at the exact same point of progression in this process as I am right now.  Right now, Amy's blog is a big source of comfort for me.  I look at her pictures and see a lot of myself in them.  I also identify with her humor, she's pretty straight forward to say the least, which is also a lot like me.  


This has been a challenging week, as I'm getting back to my routine.  In doing that, I have to make accommodations for the fact that I'm not on solids yet.  I'm also not drinking, which is a big part of my social circle and has been a big change.  I think once I can get some real food in me, I might feel a little more like a normal person again, but until then, it's me, my rumbly tummy, and my liquids...

Surgery Day Breakdown!

Well gang, I'm back to work!  I'm feeling pretty well and back in front of a computer.  I have done small updates from my phone, but honestly didn't feel like looking at a computer for the last week, so I didn't!  I'm back in action though and thought I would give an account of my experience.  So are we ready??  Ok.  Lets go.