Having a laproscopic band has not helped me dump a ton of weight. There. I said it. In fact, I'm stuck at 285 lbs.
My recovery was very quick. I was able to hiking at Devils Lake State Park 9 days after the procedure. Part of that hike is a climb about 500 feet straight up and it's 4/10 of a mile long. We walked almost 4 miles that day. It was exhausting, yet the feeling of victory over that beast of a hike was something the likes of which I had not felt in many many years.
My battle of the band is largely mental. I have grown so accustomed to eating and eating and eating until the food in front of me is gone, that I never learned to find "full". Crazy thing - I can eat everything I used to eat! Now I have to make the conscious choice to eat good food, high in protein and stop before I am stuffed. It is a daily battle.
At this point I am almost 7 weeks post-op. I just had my first fill last week. I can tell a little difference, but I can still eat a lot. I'm told that this will be the case until I get two more fills or so. That won't happen for probably 6-8 weeks. So, I am really having to think about what I'm doing when I get hungry. I also have to really watch myself when I eat so that I don't over do it. It.Is.Hard.
I did join Anytime Fitness about 3 weeks ago...maybe 4 weeks. IDK. I LOVE it. I figure that at some point my fitness endeavors and my lapband tool should connect and the weight will start moving again. The one thing I really really really am aware of is this:
This is a mental/psychological process. M>E>N>T>A>L
It's within me to conquer the beast. I need to brain it out to find total success.
Progress
Showing posts with label wls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wls. Show all posts
Monday, October 21, 2013
Friday, September 20, 2013
I'm back AND banded.
Well, it has been far too long since I've blogged. Clearly I need to get this bad-boy up to date so I can track my progress and struggles.
When last I wrote, it was April and I was on the mission toward getting the lapband procedure done. I had to lose enough weight to get my BMI under 50 in order to have the surgery as an outpatient.
Fast forward to September 20, and here I am - perfectly banded and doing okay.
I finished my last class for the procedure in July. They submitted me to surgery right away and approval came within a week. I needed to lose 10 more pounds by my August check in to hit my BMI goal. I was feeling pretty good.
August check in - I lost that 10 pounds - you bet I did!! I had to be really strict about what I ate. But I was and did the job. Next would come a flurry of appointments, including scheduling my surgery for August 30. That was the perfect date because my support group is my fellah and my son - neither would miss school for my surgery.
I didn't do so well maintaining my 10 pound loss. I did get it off before surgery - thank goodness.
Got a call that my surgeon had suddenly decided that anyone with a BMI over 45 couldn't have the procedure done in the "other" surgery center. Noooooo, I was going to have to be rescheduled and have my surgery in the St. Mary's OR. WTF. Still haven't received the bill for that - hoping it isn't a ton more than my peers who also had the procedure done had to pay. I will appeal to the surgeon's kind side if it is. (No fair, I cried!! And when we talked, I gave him the stink eye so he'd know I wasn't happy.)
Wellll, let's see.....pre-op with my reg. doctor was Aug. 28.
Surgery: September 4.
We had to get up at 3:00 a.m. to drive to Madison; we were on the road by 3:30 a.m.. It took about an hour and 15 minutes. We arrived and our car was swept away by valet parking guys. We didn't even have a chance to warm our chairs up good before i was called to register and then taken back to "my room". Had to get completely nakers and gown up. Apparently there are two gown sizes for adults: regular and mammoth. I invited John and the nurse to put the gown on with me - they both declined. We could have all fit in comfortably. I was hooked up to the IV and they started jacking me full of fluid so I'd be well hydrated. I waited. I was soon whisked away to the pre-op space without my sweet John and with about a dozen other folks also preparing for surgery. I was just a little scared.
The anesthetist dropped by to chat me up. "Can you climb a flight of stairs?" he asked me. My eyes got big and I responded - "Dude, I hike state parks." He said, "Oh, well, I guess you can then." Oh, you stereotyper guy! This fatty-fat girl walks and hikes and takes stairs! Youbetcha!!! Never ever underestimate the power of a woman determined!
I had the presence of mind to request a trip to the potty before the nurse started the IV to make me relaxed. I preferred waltzing thru the middle of the pre-op area in my flowing gown - butt not hanging out - to the notion of trying to whiz on a bedpan. Disaster averted.
Surgery happened. I'm having a hard time remembering being taken to surgery. All I do remember is waking up just after having the tube taken out of my throat and feeling like I was going to throw up. I swear they put something on my just that I could inhale to help with the nausea. I would end up wishing I had that stuff -whatever it was - over and over once we left the hospital. Was taken in my bed back to my recovery room and eventually woke up. No pain at that point. Just woozy. The day went on, and the surgeon never stopped in. I think that's weird. He did report to John that the surgery went great, no complications, etc. Again....weird. I was able to eat and swallow and keep down water via ice chips. And by about 4:00 I was able to drink 8 oz of water and pee in the hat on the potty. (I told my nurse I felt like a cat peeing in a litter box. Well. I did!) Once those two things were accomplished and John had my Rx for pain - we were off down the road to home.
Nausea phase one: since I was a little kid, I was prone to car sickness. We were trying to get out of Madison when I had to make John pull over in case I puked. I sucked lots of air and the wave passed.
Nausea phase two: 60 minutes later we arrive at Wisconsin Dells. We went to Wal*Mart for
Gas-X strips and tylenol. Doritos for John. (Ugh!) And I was sick sick sick again - just had to walk it off and suck air to make it pass.
Arrive home about 6:00. I got settled in. Took some medicine. Heating pad on my back for the pain from being inflated. My son came home. My sweet, loving John bolted like he'd been launched outta there. He had had enough fun for the day.
Nausea phase three: dry heaves. OMG - no one wants to freekin' dry heave anyway, much less a fat lady just banded. Suck air, suck air, suck air.
Nausea phase four: vomitous frightnous - kill me now. OMG - I called the oncall nurse and got little reassurance. I talked the on call doctor who said I should throw up any more. (Really???) I could go back to the hospital like 2 hours away for IV's. (Hell to the no!)
Called John - he shoulda stayed, but he is forgiven. I was screwd in the event that I needed to go to the hospital for IVs cuz I was drugged and my kid can't drive at age 14.
Nausea phases five and six - more dry heaving and finally upchucking the minimal liquid in my system.
8:30 p.m. Time to go to bed. I figured that if we all don't totally dehydrate over night, i was going to be just fine 'til morning. I slapped on my jammies and my CPAP maching and was out for the night. Next morning, I felt pretty good, all things considered.
This is long, so I'm going to quit here. I'll write more again soon.
To be continued...
This is my Spring 2011 probably close to my heaviest. I need to find this top and see how it fits now.
This is 2013 after hiking 4 miles in the beautiful bluffs of Wisconsin.
When last I wrote, it was April and I was on the mission toward getting the lapband procedure done. I had to lose enough weight to get my BMI under 50 in order to have the surgery as an outpatient.
Fast forward to September 20, and here I am - perfectly banded and doing okay.
I finished my last class for the procedure in July. They submitted me to surgery right away and approval came within a week. I needed to lose 10 more pounds by my August check in to hit my BMI goal. I was feeling pretty good.
August check in - I lost that 10 pounds - you bet I did!! I had to be really strict about what I ate. But I was and did the job. Next would come a flurry of appointments, including scheduling my surgery for August 30. That was the perfect date because my support group is my fellah and my son - neither would miss school for my surgery.
I didn't do so well maintaining my 10 pound loss. I did get it off before surgery - thank goodness.
Got a call that my surgeon had suddenly decided that anyone with a BMI over 45 couldn't have the procedure done in the "other" surgery center. Noooooo, I was going to have to be rescheduled and have my surgery in the St. Mary's OR. WTF. Still haven't received the bill for that - hoping it isn't a ton more than my peers who also had the procedure done had to pay. I will appeal to the surgeon's kind side if it is. (No fair, I cried!! And when we talked, I gave him the stink eye so he'd know I wasn't happy.)
Wellll, let's see.....pre-op with my reg. doctor was Aug. 28.
Surgery: September 4.
We had to get up at 3:00 a.m. to drive to Madison; we were on the road by 3:30 a.m.. It took about an hour and 15 minutes. We arrived and our car was swept away by valet parking guys. We didn't even have a chance to warm our chairs up good before i was called to register and then taken back to "my room". Had to get completely nakers and gown up. Apparently there are two gown sizes for adults: regular and mammoth. I invited John and the nurse to put the gown on with me - they both declined. We could have all fit in comfortably. I was hooked up to the IV and they started jacking me full of fluid so I'd be well hydrated. I waited. I was soon whisked away to the pre-op space without my sweet John and with about a dozen other folks also preparing for surgery. I was just a little scared.
The anesthetist dropped by to chat me up. "Can you climb a flight of stairs?" he asked me. My eyes got big and I responded - "Dude, I hike state parks." He said, "Oh, well, I guess you can then." Oh, you stereotyper guy! This fatty-fat girl walks and hikes and takes stairs! Youbetcha!!! Never ever underestimate the power of a woman determined!
I had the presence of mind to request a trip to the potty before the nurse started the IV to make me relaxed. I preferred waltzing thru the middle of the pre-op area in my flowing gown - butt not hanging out - to the notion of trying to whiz on a bedpan. Disaster averted.
Surgery happened. I'm having a hard time remembering being taken to surgery. All I do remember is waking up just after having the tube taken out of my throat and feeling like I was going to throw up. I swear they put something on my just that I could inhale to help with the nausea. I would end up wishing I had that stuff -whatever it was - over and over once we left the hospital. Was taken in my bed back to my recovery room and eventually woke up. No pain at that point. Just woozy. The day went on, and the surgeon never stopped in. I think that's weird. He did report to John that the surgery went great, no complications, etc. Again....weird. I was able to eat and swallow and keep down water via ice chips. And by about 4:00 I was able to drink 8 oz of water and pee in the hat on the potty. (I told my nurse I felt like a cat peeing in a litter box. Well. I did!) Once those two things were accomplished and John had my Rx for pain - we were off down the road to home.
Nausea phase one: since I was a little kid, I was prone to car sickness. We were trying to get out of Madison when I had to make John pull over in case I puked. I sucked lots of air and the wave passed.
Nausea phase two: 60 minutes later we arrive at Wisconsin Dells. We went to Wal*Mart for
Gas-X strips and tylenol. Doritos for John. (Ugh!) And I was sick sick sick again - just had to walk it off and suck air to make it pass.
Arrive home about 6:00. I got settled in. Took some medicine. Heating pad on my back for the pain from being inflated. My son came home. My sweet, loving John bolted like he'd been launched outta there. He had had enough fun for the day.
Nausea phase three: dry heaves. OMG - no one wants to freekin' dry heave anyway, much less a fat lady just banded. Suck air, suck air, suck air.
Nausea phase four: vomitous frightnous - kill me now. OMG - I called the oncall nurse and got little reassurance. I talked the on call doctor who said I should throw up any more. (Really???) I could go back to the hospital like 2 hours away for IV's. (Hell to the no!)
Called John - he shoulda stayed, but he is forgiven. I was screwd in the event that I needed to go to the hospital for IVs cuz I was drugged and my kid can't drive at age 14.
Nausea phases five and six - more dry heaving and finally upchucking the minimal liquid in my system.
8:30 p.m. Time to go to bed. I figured that if we all don't totally dehydrate over night, i was going to be just fine 'til morning. I slapped on my jammies and my CPAP maching and was out for the night. Next morning, I felt pretty good, all things considered.
This is long, so I'm going to quit here. I'll write more again soon.
To be continued...
This is my Spring 2011 probably close to my heaviest. I need to find this top and see how it fits now.
This is 2013 after hiking 4 miles in the beautiful bluffs of Wisconsin.Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Beginning.....
Begin at the begining.
Now, where the hell else would you expect a person to begin? We don't have time to cover my entire life history, so let's just cut to the chase. I'm 47. Single mom. Fat. Overweight. Obese. Yeah, well....morbidly so. I started out the year at 328. And decided to blog at 324. Thus the name of the blog.
I used to blog under an alias, then my employer discovered my blog and rumor of my writing spread like wildfire, and I was being stalked by any number of busy body ass-jacks who had no need of reading about my quest for health. Well, people, Fat Don't Wrinkle, and I no longer have that employer. I got fired. Actually quit instead of being fired, but it's all the same. I was really upset for about 5 minutes. Then I realized that I was about to get my life back.
So I got fired and about 5 days later went on summer vacation with my kid - 13 y.o. boy, going on 27. When we returned I began the battle for unemployment - freaking out a little that it took me more than a month and a half to get approved. Yikes.
Fast forward - feeling good. Still fat and sassy. September comes and I'm getting nervous about trying to live on unemployment. I applied for lots of jobs, landing temp work at a catalogue distribution center processing returned merchandise. I hate folding clothes, but it was a job. Fasts forward to October.
I had an interview with my county's aging resource center. BAM!! I got the job. Over 300 people applied, and they chose me. (What.What!!!?) I landed in the greatest place on earth - I swear!! It's a circus some days, but I love every minute of it. I am appreciated. I am valued. I have skills. My can-do attitude is desired. My sarcasm is shared by nearly everyone in the office - as is my sense of humor. I love this place!!! I found peace! I found love! I found something to be passionate about!
Well, life has gone on. In late December I heard from a fellah I hadn't heard from in 17 years. He found me on facebook. I was like "WFT?!!?" Guess what - we clicked in a very crazy, very passionate, very internet affair. I suspect his wife caught him - ya can't just leave your email logged in and facebook logged on. Duh. Cuz BAM! It was over. I never did get to see him. No booty call. (dang!) But the last thing we talked about was me being alone. He thought I was a wonderful woman and deserved to be with someone to love. So, I looked for someone - that's another story. He gave me his blessing to find happiness. (As if I needed that from him.) One thing he did do for me was unlock the passion I have stuffed down for over five years while I've been flying solo. You could say that he "unleashed the beast". And for that I am grateful. I was on the verge of having an affair with a married man. Shame on me - I know. I know. I'm not caring to think about the right or wrong of what I did - but I know that it happened for a reason.
In the meantime, I started thinking about weightloss surgery; lapband - for specific. 3 other people in my office are going thru the WL Mgmt program thru our insurance. I have a built-in support network right here at work. So, I am pursuing that process. I am about a month in - and I'm hoping that 5 months from now I can have the procedure done.
Also in the meantime - I received a "God-message" one Saturday morning. January 5, I believe it was. It was put on my heart to look for a past love. We'll call him John. He and I had dated 10 years ago. We were extremely compatible and hit it off beautifully. We had so much in common and there was amazing chemistry. We had struggles - he'd been in a marriage that really hurt him as a loving human being. I was kind of a jerk - dealing with my own issues being a single mom with an ex who was a complete (and still is) douche-nozzle. (Not for the faint of heart, this blog.) Anyway, back then he suddenly emailed me saying he couldn't be in the relationship and it was over. (Me: WTH?) So I let him go - no fight, no begging, no pleading. About a month later, I found him on chat and he told me he had been going to ask me to marry him. Then I was devestated. But I never forgot him.
Back to the God-incidence thing. This voice in my head started nagging me to look for John. I knew he was married - so I ignored it, but the voice was so adamant. I found him on facebook but there was nothing there - we weren't friends, so he was all blocked up. And he was married - wasn't I already involved with one of those? Damn if that voice didn't demand that I look up his circuit court record. Yep, we can do that here. So I did - found out he was in the process of getting a divorce. WHOA! I went back to facebook and sent him a message. The nagging voice left me alone until Wednesday of that week. I had no response from him, so I shrugged it off until that Wednesday morning. The voice demanded that I send him an email at his job. Seriously?! So, I sent an email saying hello and giving a brief update of my life. I figured he'd ignore me or tell me to buzz off or, maybe - just maybe, he'd be happy to hear from me. I left it up to the powers that be.
Well, he emailed me back. He was thrilled to hear from me. We made a date for that Saturday. Our first date - Zero Dark Thirty and dinner. So, yes, "he had me at terrorism." Our date was amazing. It was like no time had passed. We held hands and cuddled up a little in the theater. Held hands and talkd and talked over dinner and a drink. Said our good-byes promising to be in touch. And we are - we still are. And we have rekindled our romance. We are at the beginning of what I hope will be a lifetime of love and laughter and living. I've never been so happy.
And - he's a weightloss surgery success story. He's lost 180 lbs thru gastric-bypass. He looks and feels great. He's an inspiration to me. He's a cheerleader. He's amazing.
This is the beginning of my story. It's a journey I am going to document mostly for me. So far, so good. I am at 314 lbs right now. Eating 2000 cals/per day. Walking when I can - will do more when the bitter cold here goes away.
If you are reading this, welcome to my story. Settle in. I hope you stick around for the feature.
Now, where the hell else would you expect a person to begin? We don't have time to cover my entire life history, so let's just cut to the chase. I'm 47. Single mom. Fat. Overweight. Obese. Yeah, well....morbidly so. I started out the year at 328. And decided to blog at 324. Thus the name of the blog.
I used to blog under an alias, then my employer discovered my blog and rumor of my writing spread like wildfire, and I was being stalked by any number of busy body ass-jacks who had no need of reading about my quest for health. Well, people, Fat Don't Wrinkle, and I no longer have that employer. I got fired. Actually quit instead of being fired, but it's all the same. I was really upset for about 5 minutes. Then I realized that I was about to get my life back.
So I got fired and about 5 days later went on summer vacation with my kid - 13 y.o. boy, going on 27. When we returned I began the battle for unemployment - freaking out a little that it took me more than a month and a half to get approved. Yikes.
Fast forward - feeling good. Still fat and sassy. September comes and I'm getting nervous about trying to live on unemployment. I applied for lots of jobs, landing temp work at a catalogue distribution center processing returned merchandise. I hate folding clothes, but it was a job. Fasts forward to October.
I had an interview with my county's aging resource center. BAM!! I got the job. Over 300 people applied, and they chose me. (What.What!!!?) I landed in the greatest place on earth - I swear!! It's a circus some days, but I love every minute of it. I am appreciated. I am valued. I have skills. My can-do attitude is desired. My sarcasm is shared by nearly everyone in the office - as is my sense of humor. I love this place!!! I found peace! I found love! I found something to be passionate about!
Well, life has gone on. In late December I heard from a fellah I hadn't heard from in 17 years. He found me on facebook. I was like "WFT?!!?" Guess what - we clicked in a very crazy, very passionate, very internet affair. I suspect his wife caught him - ya can't just leave your email logged in and facebook logged on. Duh. Cuz BAM! It was over. I never did get to see him. No booty call. (dang!) But the last thing we talked about was me being alone. He thought I was a wonderful woman and deserved to be with someone to love. So, I looked for someone - that's another story. He gave me his blessing to find happiness. (As if I needed that from him.) One thing he did do for me was unlock the passion I have stuffed down for over five years while I've been flying solo. You could say that he "unleashed the beast". And for that I am grateful. I was on the verge of having an affair with a married man. Shame on me - I know. I know. I'm not caring to think about the right or wrong of what I did - but I know that it happened for a reason.
In the meantime, I started thinking about weightloss surgery; lapband - for specific. 3 other people in my office are going thru the WL Mgmt program thru our insurance. I have a built-in support network right here at work. So, I am pursuing that process. I am about a month in - and I'm hoping that 5 months from now I can have the procedure done.
Also in the meantime - I received a "God-message" one Saturday morning. January 5, I believe it was. It was put on my heart to look for a past love. We'll call him John. He and I had dated 10 years ago. We were extremely compatible and hit it off beautifully. We had so much in common and there was amazing chemistry. We had struggles - he'd been in a marriage that really hurt him as a loving human being. I was kind of a jerk - dealing with my own issues being a single mom with an ex who was a complete (and still is) douche-nozzle. (Not for the faint of heart, this blog.) Anyway, back then he suddenly emailed me saying he couldn't be in the relationship and it was over. (Me: WTH?) So I let him go - no fight, no begging, no pleading. About a month later, I found him on chat and he told me he had been going to ask me to marry him. Then I was devestated. But I never forgot him.
Back to the God-incidence thing. This voice in my head started nagging me to look for John. I knew he was married - so I ignored it, but the voice was so adamant. I found him on facebook but there was nothing there - we weren't friends, so he was all blocked up. And he was married - wasn't I already involved with one of those? Damn if that voice didn't demand that I look up his circuit court record. Yep, we can do that here. So I did - found out he was in the process of getting a divorce. WHOA! I went back to facebook and sent him a message. The nagging voice left me alone until Wednesday of that week. I had no response from him, so I shrugged it off until that Wednesday morning. The voice demanded that I send him an email at his job. Seriously?! So, I sent an email saying hello and giving a brief update of my life. I figured he'd ignore me or tell me to buzz off or, maybe - just maybe, he'd be happy to hear from me. I left it up to the powers that be.
Well, he emailed me back. He was thrilled to hear from me. We made a date for that Saturday. Our first date - Zero Dark Thirty and dinner. So, yes, "he had me at terrorism." Our date was amazing. It was like no time had passed. We held hands and cuddled up a little in the theater. Held hands and talkd and talked over dinner and a drink. Said our good-byes promising to be in touch. And we are - we still are. And we have rekindled our romance. We are at the beginning of what I hope will be a lifetime of love and laughter and living. I've never been so happy.
And - he's a weightloss surgery success story. He's lost 180 lbs thru gastric-bypass. He looks and feels great. He's an inspiration to me. He's a cheerleader. He's amazing.
This is the beginning of my story. It's a journey I am going to document mostly for me. So far, so good. I am at 314 lbs right now. Eating 2000 cals/per day. Walking when I can - will do more when the bitter cold here goes away.
If you are reading this, welcome to my story. Settle in. I hope you stick around for the feature.
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