Saturday, July 31, 2010

one year banded!

1 year
85 lbs down
living life again....

I scheduled this to post while I am away camping. Hope it works!
All of you are such a great support.

Thank You!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

I suck at this!

Things are a bit out of control and I am a sucky blogger.
I am reading though!
My apologies for being a flake! I actually have a few things to post about but have been under the gun for the past couple weeks.

I'm alive, I got half of my fill back, I'm losing :), I'm busy as hell!

Today is my Friday. Headed camping with my work crew. I will check in next week...Promise

Are those collar bones?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Don't take my fill away!!!

Okay, so the title of this post is a little dramatic...but you're here reading, right? :)

Last weekend, over the 4th of July holiday, I had three really bad stuck episodes. One on cottage cheese! Honestly, I've had quite a few semi-stuck/PB episodes since my last fill which was in April (which took me to 9.4cc in my 11cc realize band)
Allergies played a big part in being tight as did a couple overwhelm moments.
I knew when I got to the point where I was looking for slider foods to feel full it was time to go in.
I called first thing Tuesday morning (closed on Monday) and got an appointment for that afternoon. My NP removed 1.4 cc so I am now at 8cc. I was instructed to do 3 days of liquids, then some mushies before returning to solids. I was also given a Rx for Prilosec to keep any further irritation away.

I feel so much better.

I was hungry, I mean really hungry, not head hunger. I needed to fuel my body and I couldn't get down what I needed too. I sure hope I can write this in a way that is clear. I'm so all over the place most of the time.

Nobody likes to give up a fill. I, fortunately, have a surgery center and a great NP who doesn't hold back the fills. In fact my refill is already scheduled.
I think we get into this mindset that more is better. Now that I look back over the last month I was not getting proper protein so in turn I was hungry which led to snacking and sliders. I didn't gain which was nice but I did lose some muscle along with fat since April (I'm okay with that, I was laid up with my leg vein surgeries and hadn't done much working out) but some of it could have been due to lack of protein.
During the month prior to my unfill I was crossing off foods left and right that I couldn't manage anymore. Just yesterday was my first try at regular solids. Let me tell you, it was awesome! Did I mention I had been hungry?
Let me think what I had...
The Hub and I went to breakfast and I had two strips of bacon, four bites of egg and one potato pancake with sour cream.. (okay, not the best of choices.. anywho)
had a little watermelon during the afternoon and a cookie, a pinwheel (has marshmallow) which I thought I hated but turns out I can tolerate them. For dinner we went out again, the house was too hot to cook and I wanted sushi as it was one of the things I had given up...let me tell you, it went down so nicely. I felt full, no searching the kitchen that evening, no reaching for cottage cheese to stop my stomach from growling.
Even though I am able to consume more quantity now (at one sitting) I believe the calories will even out to when I was over-filled and snacking. In addition, the ability to fuel up on a small chicken breast or piece of fish will keep me full longer, meet my protein needs and keep the snacking to a minimum.
I do believe I need to be somewhere between my current 8cc's and where I was at 9.4 to be in my ultimate green zone so I think I will ask my NP to take me half way back and I will see how it goes.

Oh, these bands are a bit spastic sometimes, No?

The end of the month is my one year with my band (Claire) in talking with my NP she brought up that I was a band success. I guess so if you read the data. I am doing my one year labs so I can get the results when I see her again. That will be my marker for a success. Looking to have lowered my LDL and increase my HDL. My blood pressure has been great and in general I feel better than a year ago.

So that brings me to Goals. I only had a couple in my mind pre-banding and I've met them. That was to lose 80 lbs. Check! and wear a 14! Check! I can now wear a regular 14 pant from pretty much anywhere. This was a surprise to me, I figured I was maybe a 16 in misses and a 14W, but I can't wear anything in the plus section anymore.
Oh right I was taking about goals. My ticker has an additional 10 lbs as my ultimate goal and I will leave it for now. I will have to re-evaluate when I get there. I am also going to do more strength training to get a little muscle back . Remember, most of my loss has been w/o regular exercise, I don't suggest this as I feel better when I work out but I don't do well with planned workouts. I am WAY more active and look for opportunity to get in some calorie burning but in the grand scheme of things I give myself an F in this department.

Well, I'm going to get on the chores before it gets any warmer out there.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Just have a sec and wanted to share

Found a new favorite treat!

Oatmeal/Raisin/Walnut Cliff Bar




With Fat Free Cream Cheese




= Yummy

Friday, July 2, 2010

BYOC!

BYOC is 5 little questions – some funny, some serious – that we answer to get to know each other better and it’s a free blog topic for Fridays when our blog brains are fried before the weekend! Feel free to join us! Post the questions and answers in your own blog!

1. Seeing that it’s a patriotic holiday of sorts I thought of this one: Where were you on September 11th?

• Being on the West Coast I was just waking up for work and the scene was of the first plane on the news. (I thought it was a small plane in my mind) I got ready for work and we were out of milk so I went to the little store on the corner... while there, the radio reported another plane and we, strangers in a store, all had a collective moment of WTF? It was a sad, sad day. My kids were little and I didn't know what to say to them.
My cousin was one of the first responders and gave many last rights. I think this experience has changed him greatly and prompted the creation of the NYC Garden of Forgiveness
What I remember most is: Never Forget!


2. What is your idea of fun? If given the chance to skip work/life for an entire day, what would you do? (assume you’d be by yourself)

• Clean my space, clear my mind, watch some McLeod's daughters DVD's, Play MY music, loudly, w/o someone walking by and turning it down, talk to my BFF (Laura) on the phone. I can't remember the last time I was alone. I am only alone to and from work any my cell phone is usually blowing up with "can you get this? where are you? " Grrr!

3. Suggestion from a follower. Some blog questions.

How many blogs do you follow? over 100

Do you read them all or just your faves? I try my very best to do so, I read from my blackberry every free chance I get.

Do you comment a little, a lot, on all? I have to say, I wish I could comment more. It is a pain from my phone. I try!

Have you ever unfollowed someone because of something they said or you didn’t like their blog? No, I've never unfollowed anyone to date.

Do you routinely unfollow and why? see above, however there are a few that I follow that have been inactive for months.

4. Repeat question. Pick one day and one healthy thing you’ll do for just that day next week.
Hmmm, I'm going to try to grab some alone time this weekend I think. Answering #2 made me crave some alone time, not sure how...but I will figure something out. Too hard to pick a specific day but I will grab my chance when it arrives.


5. Repeat "Make someone a superstar" question. Whose blog or blog comment stuck with you this week and why?

without a doubt it was Amy's Glass Closet post Of course I dig her honesty. I just love her and wish her all the happiness in the world!
I mean really? What an awesome group of bloggers too! 80+ comments, all supportive (can I just add...you all rock!) It gives me hope that if I were ever to really lay it all out there I would have incredible support.

Yikes! I need to get ready for work.... Happy 4th of July you all!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

11 months banded!

11 Months banded

83 lbs and change down

I can’t complain! (I could but I won’t, not today anyway)