I hit the Lap Band trifecta.... I may have mentioned that I work in Flood Insurance, so you might be able to imagine that my work has been BUSY!!!! The hurricane has put a small cramp in my FEMA project, so work has been stressing me out, it's that time of the month, and something irritated my stomach all of this equals stomach burning. I really thought that one of the supplements I have been taken just irritated my stomach, no big deal. So I took some Maloxx, still some burning the next day, and Tuesday I finally call my surgeons office, but they were closed, so I paged the the on call person and awesome NP Karen called me back. I told her about my burning sensation and she said it sounded like I was too tight, I told her that I haven't been getting stuck. She got me into the office first thing Wednesday (yesterday).
Lets recap, on 9/7/12 I had .4 cc removed from my band. A month later I went in for a fill and was told no, because I wasn't feeling well. On Wednesday, Karen had me do a barium swallow and stand in front of the x-ray machine, then she said "take another drink, hmmm." As I swallowed the barium you could see it going down and then stop way above my band. Weird, and then I took a 3rd drink..... So, it's not that my band was to tight, but that my stomach was irritated and that was causing the hang up. Karen still removed .5cc from my band due to the inflammation in my stomach. Good news is, I'm still down even after having fluid removed and my stomach stopped burning. I'm taking a round of Prilosec.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Such a Long Time Since I Blogged!!
Lets start off with the numbers. I have 6.75ccs in my 10cc band and I'm down a total of 35lbs from 272 at the start of my pre-opt diet on 5/10/12.
I went to my surgeons office on 9/4/12 to get another fill, but I felt horrible that day and the NP Karen said no.... I'm really close to being in the Green Zone and when I was over filled she took out .4ccs, so I think I need .15-.2ccs to be there. Anyway she sent me for blood work to check my vitamin levels, thyroid levels, etc and everything came back as normal. I'm going to get a copy of my results and see if I'm on the low side. She thought I was going to be vitamin D deficient, so I upped my supplement intake on my own from 400iu to 2000iu and some of the symptoms I have been dealing with have subsided like my hands hurting, however my hair is still shedding, brain fog, etc.... I did read an article about Hypothyroidism II and the difficulty in diagnosing thyroid issues.
So on the weight loss front, yeah I'm losing weight!! Boooooo (says my brain... YEAHHHHHH says my tummy) Culver's Pumpkin Pecan Concrete is back and so yummy.
I went to my surgeons office on 9/4/12 to get another fill, but I felt horrible that day and the NP Karen said no.... I'm really close to being in the Green Zone and when I was over filled she took out .4ccs, so I think I need .15-.2ccs to be there. Anyway she sent me for blood work to check my vitamin levels, thyroid levels, etc and everything came back as normal. I'm going to get a copy of my results and see if I'm on the low side. She thought I was going to be vitamin D deficient, so I upped my supplement intake on my own from 400iu to 2000iu and some of the symptoms I have been dealing with have subsided like my hands hurting, however my hair is still shedding, brain fog, etc.... I did read an article about Hypothyroidism II and the difficulty in diagnosing thyroid issues.
So on the weight loss front, yeah I'm losing weight!! Boooooo (says my brain... YEAHHHHHH says my tummy) Culver's Pumpkin Pecan Concrete is back and so yummy.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Talk Like a Pirate Day!!!
Lets start off with the numbers. I have 6.75ccs in my 10cc band and I'm down a total of 31.5lbs since my pre-opt diet at 272 on 5/10/12.
Ok, so I had a .4cc unfill on 9/4/12. When I went for my unfil, I was up 2lbs, so now I'm down 3.5lbs.
For national Talk Like a Pirate Day, if you dressed like a pirate you got a free dozen glaze doughnuts from Krispy Kreme. So this morning we dress my 18 month old up as a pirate and collected the bounty plus 3 additional free doughnuts.
Here is what I learned today. Doughnuts in the morning (ya know, when your tighter than normal) is not a good idea. I did not get stuck but there was the ever so awesome slimming...... and since we were on the road to the babysitters, I decided to spit out of the window (I wasn't driving) which landed on the back sit window (yuck) at least I was nice enough to not spit in my husbands cup.
It has been a rough few weeks. On the food front it could have been worse. I'm down, so that's awesome! I'm working out more. By the way, I didn't go through with my 2 mile walk. After the lose of my friend and some other things, I just wanted to stay home and clean. I'm looking at 5ks coming up in the area.
Ok, so I had a .4cc unfill on 9/4/12. When I went for my unfil, I was up 2lbs, so now I'm down 3.5lbs.
For national Talk Like a Pirate Day, if you dressed like a pirate you got a free dozen glaze doughnuts from Krispy Kreme. So this morning we dress my 18 month old up as a pirate and collected the bounty plus 3 additional free doughnuts.
Here is what I learned today. Doughnuts in the morning (ya know, when your tighter than normal) is not a good idea. I did not get stuck but there was the ever so awesome slimming...... and since we were on the road to the babysitters, I decided to spit out of the window (I wasn't driving) which landed on the back sit window (yuck) at least I was nice enough to not spit in my husbands cup.
It has been a rough few weeks. On the food front it could have been worse. I'm down, so that's awesome! I'm working out more. By the way, I didn't go through with my 2 mile walk. After the lose of my friend and some other things, I just wanted to stay home and clean. I'm looking at 5ks coming up in the area.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Unfill and Bad News
On Monday I was stuck and I knew I was too tight, but I was able to get into the surgeons office on Tuesday and get .4cc removed, so I have 6.75cc in my 10cc band. Funny thing, I was 2 lbs up even though I had been too tight to really eat for a few days. I also found out that when your too tight, when the needle is put into the port the saline that needs to be removed just comes out on it's own.
On Wednesday, my best friend's husband passed away unexpectedly. He was only 37 and had been battling weight problems and some of the health issues that go with being over weight for a long time. He had surgery to convert from the Lap Band to Gastric Bypass last April and was down 140lbs. His Sleep Apnea was gone and things were looking up. At this point the cause of death is unknown and the full Autopsy will not be back for a few weeks.
I feel horrible for my friend and I just keep thinking that 32 is too young to be a widow. How would I handle it if this happened to me. I'm certain of one thing, we need to get a Will set up with a guardian named for out child. It's just scary to think about.
On Wednesday, my best friend's husband passed away unexpectedly. He was only 37 and had been battling weight problems and some of the health issues that go with being over weight for a long time. He had surgery to convert from the Lap Band to Gastric Bypass last April and was down 140lbs. His Sleep Apnea was gone and things were looking up. At this point the cause of death is unknown and the full Autopsy will not be back for a few weeks.
I feel horrible for my friend and I just keep thinking that 32 is too young to be a widow. How would I handle it if this happened to me. I'm certain of one thing, we need to get a Will set up with a guardian named for out child. It's just scary to think about.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Vote for Paxton - A Shameless Plug
I entered my son in the Gerber Generation Photo Search contest on Facebook. We would apperciate all the votes we can get! See how cute he is.....
To Vote you have to have a Facebook page. Go to www.facebook.com/gerber (the "Website"), click on the Photo Search thumbnail, "Like" the page to become a Fan (if you are not already a Fan), allow the "Photo Search 2012" application when prompted to "Get App." You should be able to click on the "Vote Now" link at the top. At the bottom you will see the Find Your Favorite Face Seacrh Window, under the Baby info you can enter Paxton's ID 61343 to easliy find him and vote.
Voting ends on 9/24/12.
Please let me know if your child has an entry or if there are any issues with the instructions.
To Vote you have to have a Facebook page. Go to www.facebook.com/gerber (the "Website"), click on the Photo Search thumbnail, "Like" the page to become a Fan (if you are not already a Fan), allow the "Photo Search 2012" application when prompted to "Get App." You should be able to click on the "Vote Now" link at the top. At the bottom you will see the Find Your Favorite Face Seacrh Window, under the Baby info you can enter Paxton's ID 61343 to easliy find him and vote.
Please let me know if your child has an entry or if there are any issues with the instructions.
Monday, September 3, 2012
TOO TIGHT!!
I was suppose to have another fill last week, but I called and told them I didn't need a fill and scheduled a just in case appointment for 9/19. Since I didn't get a fill, you'd think I would be OK, but I'm not. I'm pretty sure that I was close too or in the "green zone" before this week, but now I'm too tight. What happened? I'm not sure, but I have been on liquid antibiotics for an infection, so maybe that's is the culprit.
I have noticed that my band just keep getting tighter and today I got stuck for the first time eating protein in a restaurant. I actually had to make myself throw up to relieve the pressure. Yep that sucked. I'm going to call the surgeons office tomorrow and see if I can get a slight unfill ASAP, until then I'm going to have to be careful.
I have noticed that my band just keep getting tighter and today I got stuck for the first time eating protein in a restaurant. I actually had to make myself throw up to relieve the pressure. Yep that sucked. I'm going to call the surgeons office tomorrow and see if I can get a slight unfill ASAP, until then I'm going to have to be careful.
Monday, August 27, 2012
3 Months After Surgery
I'm a little late..... Lets start off with some numbers.
I started pre-opt diet at 272 on 5/10/12 and I'm now 242 as of 8/24/12, that's a 30 lb loss.
I have had 3 fills and my 10cc band currently has 7.15CC in it. I go back in 1.5 weeks to see if I need an adjustment.
92 lbs to goal!
I went on a walk and pushed my son in a stroller to the park. The park near my home isn't very far maybe 4 blocks, but there is a gigantic hill to climb to get to the play area. I'm proud to say I made that hill my bitch!!!
I started pre-opt diet at 272 on 5/10/12 and I'm now 242 as of 8/24/12, that's a 30 lb loss.
I have had 3 fills and my 10cc band currently has 7.15CC in it. I go back in 1.5 weeks to see if I need an adjustment.
92 lbs to goal!
I went on a walk and pushed my son in a stroller to the park. The park near my home isn't very far maybe 4 blocks, but there is a gigantic hill to climb to get to the play area. I'm proud to say I made that hill my bitch!!!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Just a Quickie
OK, so my walking work out is not really working out. My knee hurts and my foot hurts... On the same leg and my rib is out again. Baha. I'm falling apart.
Also, I think I need a fill. I'm not suppose to go back for 2 more weeks, but I'm pretty sure that I'm not in the green zone yet. My weight is holding steady, no gain at least.
I haven't been sleeping well for about a month. I tried ZZZZZQuil and it really helps, plus they have a liquid version. No big pills!
I'm not really whining, but it has been a stressful few days. I'm really stressing over going back to school. I was all set to go and then there was a snafu with my financial aid. It's really a small snafu, but it's thrown me into a tail spin. I think I need to withdrawal from school and just hold off for awhile.
Also, I think I need a fill. I'm not suppose to go back for 2 more weeks, but I'm pretty sure that I'm not in the green zone yet. My weight is holding steady, no gain at least.
I haven't been sleeping well for about a month. I tried ZZZZZQuil and it really helps, plus they have a liquid version. No big pills!
I'm not really whining, but it has been a stressful few days. I'm really stressing over going back to school. I was all set to go and then there was a snafu with my financial aid. It's really a small snafu, but it's thrown me into a tail spin. I think I need to withdrawal from school and just hold off for awhile.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Week 3 Training
Week 3-
Monday 8/13/12 - 20 Minute Walk.
Wednesday 8/15/12 - 25 Minute Walk
Friday 8/17/12 - 20 Minute Walk
Saturday 8/18/12 -1 Mile Walk
This weeks Cubicle Challenge is take the long way to the bathroom.
Monday 8/13/12 - 20 Minute Walk.
Wednesday 8/15/12 - 25 Minute Walk
Friday 8/17/12 - 20 Minute Walk
Saturday 8/18/12 -1 Mile Walk
This weeks Cubicle Challenge is take the long way to the bathroom.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
TTT
1. I just received my Celebrate Supplement order. I ordered a sample pack and a box Coromega Orange Omega3.
2. I tried the Coromega Orange Omega3 first. It's a gel in a squeeze tub. It's not too bad. There is no fishy taste or fishy burps and you don't have to swallow crazy big pills. Each packet is 20 calories, 2000 mg fish oil, 650 mg long chain omega3 fatty acids, EPA 350 mg, and DHA 230 mg. The orange is kind of Tang flavored.
3. I also tried a Chocolate Creamy Bite. The Creamy Bite contains 500mg of calcium and 400 IU of D3. This Creamy Bite was tasty, it was moist, and it taste like a creamy chocolate truffle. No after taste.
4. I haven't been sleeping very well for the last 3 weeks. I think 1 of the 3 allergy meds I take is the issue, but I cannot figure out which one.... Or I need my CPAP adjusted. I've lost 26 lbs so you would think I would be having less Sleep Apena issues. I'm trying out Melatonin to see if it helps.
5. I'm really tired.
6. I'm soooooo glad tomorrow is Friday.
7. We are going bowling after work tomorrow. It's a work group activity.
8. My child has been pushing my short limits today. He has figured out how to get on top of the side table next to the couch, so he climbs on top of the table, does a little dance (like a look at me mommy I'm on the table dance), and then dive bombs me. Then repeat.
9. What is with the price of gas?????
10. Our refinance went through, yeah!
2. I tried the Coromega Orange Omega3 first. It's a gel in a squeeze tub. It's not too bad. There is no fishy taste or fishy burps and you don't have to swallow crazy big pills. Each packet is 20 calories, 2000 mg fish oil, 650 mg long chain omega3 fatty acids, EPA 350 mg, and DHA 230 mg. The orange is kind of Tang flavored.
3. I also tried a Chocolate Creamy Bite. The Creamy Bite contains 500mg of calcium and 400 IU of D3. This Creamy Bite was tasty, it was moist, and it taste like a creamy chocolate truffle. No after taste.
4. I haven't been sleeping very well for the last 3 weeks. I think 1 of the 3 allergy meds I take is the issue, but I cannot figure out which one.... Or I need my CPAP adjusted. I've lost 26 lbs so you would think I would be having less Sleep Apena issues. I'm trying out Melatonin to see if it helps.
5. I'm really tired.
6. I'm soooooo glad tomorrow is Friday.
7. We are going bowling after work tomorrow. It's a work group activity.
8. My child has been pushing my short limits today. He has figured out how to get on top of the side table next to the couch, so he climbs on top of the table, does a little dance (like a look at me mommy I'm on the table dance), and then dive bombs me. Then repeat.
9. What is with the price of gas?????
10. Our refinance went through, yeah!
Monday, August 6, 2012
3rd Fill
I started pre opt diet at 272 on5/10/12 and I'm now 246.5 on 8/6/12, that's a 25.5 lb loss.
I have had 3 fills and my 10cc band currently has 7.15CC in it. I go back in 4 weeks to see if I need an adjustment.
96.5lbs to goal!
I still have to remind myself to eat small bites and chew chew chew before swallowing. I have to make sure that I get my protein in with some veggies. So I eat a few bites protein and then a bite of veggies (and repeat). I still need a balanced diet. You cannot just eat meat (you can, but you shouldn't).
I have been losing hair (not big clumps, just more strands).... I know it's to be expected with WLS. I'm already taking prenatal vitamins (no I'm not prego, I'm a woman of childbearing age and they have more of what I need) so I stopped at the Vitamin Shoppe and picked up some Biotin Dots (there tiny chew able pills) these for $5.99 for a 30 day supply. So we'll see if that helps.
In other news, I'm going back to school to earn a Master's in Training and Performance Improvement. It's all online and it starts on 9/10/12. I'm also working on starting a business with my hubby. I'm going to be busy.
I have had 3 fills and my 10cc band currently has 7.15CC in it. I go back in 4 weeks to see if I need an adjustment.
96.5lbs to goal!
I still have to remind myself to eat small bites and chew chew chew before swallowing. I have to make sure that I get my protein in with some veggies. So I eat a few bites protein and then a bite of veggies (and repeat). I still need a balanced diet. You cannot just eat meat (you can, but you shouldn't).
I have been losing hair (not big clumps, just more strands).... I know it's to be expected with WLS. I'm already taking prenatal vitamins (no I'm not prego, I'm a woman of childbearing age and they have more of what I need) so I stopped at the Vitamin Shoppe and picked up some Biotin Dots (there tiny chew able pills) these for $5.99 for a 30 day supply. So we'll see if that helps.
In other news, I'm going back to school to earn a Master's in Training and Performance Improvement. It's all online and it starts on 9/10/12. I'm also working on starting a business with my hubby. I'm going to be busy.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Week Two Training.
Week 2-
Monday 8/6/12 - 15 Minute Walk (feel free to squeeze this walk in today).
Wednesday 8/8/12 - 20 Minute Walk
Friday 8/10/12 - 15 Minute Walk
Saturday 8/11/12 -.5 Mile Walk
This weeks Cubicle Challenge is taking the stairs.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Let the Training Began and Your Invited to Join!!
My friend N and I are training for a 2 mile walk. I know I told you it was a 5K, it turns out the 5K is a runners only 5K, no walkers allowed. They do have a walking part that is 2 miles. Our walk is on 9/15/12.
I came up with this training schedule for those of us that get winded walking to the car or up a flight of stairs. We started yesterday, but you can start now. I'm going to give you one week at a time, posted on Sunday and through out the week I'm going to give you Cubicle Challenges.
A Cubicle Challenge (we work in an office) is an additional activity to do for the week (Mon-Sun), it could be getting your water in, taking the long route to the bathroom, etc.
We are staring out slow. You can walk where ever you like and at a speed that is comfortable for you. I don't want you to be so sore that you don't continue with the training.
Week 1-
Monday 7/30/12 - 10 Minute Walk (feel free to squeeze this walk in today).
Wednesday 8/1/12 - 15 Minute Walk
Friday 8/3/12 - 10 Minute Walk
Saturday 8/4/12 -18 Minute Walk
This weeks Cubicle Challenge is to drink your water. Try to get at least 80oz a day. **If your doctor wants you to drink less, follow their instructions.
Let me know if your following along and feel free to check in with me during the week.
I came up with this training schedule for those of us that get winded walking to the car or up a flight of stairs. We started yesterday, but you can start now. I'm going to give you one week at a time, posted on Sunday and through out the week I'm going to give you Cubicle Challenges.
A Cubicle Challenge (we work in an office) is an additional activity to do for the week (Mon-Sun), it could be getting your water in, taking the long route to the bathroom, etc.
We are staring out slow. You can walk where ever you like and at a speed that is comfortable for you. I don't want you to be so sore that you don't continue with the training.
Week 1-
Monday 7/30/12 - 10 Minute Walk (feel free to squeeze this walk in today).
Wednesday 8/1/12 - 15 Minute Walk
Friday 8/3/12 - 10 Minute Walk
Saturday 8/4/12 -18 Minute Walk
This weeks Cubicle Challenge is to drink your water. Try to get at least 80oz a day. **If your doctor wants you to drink less, follow their instructions.
Let me know if your following along and feel free to check in with me during the week.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
2 Month Bandiversary
My 2 Month Bandiversary was yesterday.
- I started pre opt diet at 272 and I'm now 248, that's a 24 lb loss.
- I have had 2 fills and my 10cc band currently has 6.75CC in it. I go for another fill next week.
- I'm wearing shirts/pants that I wore 2 years ago.
- I didn't take any "before" photos, but I did upload a few after baby, but before surgery. The front facing one is from 2011 and the back facing one is form 2012.
- I need to buy smaller underwear and bras.
- I haven't had any stuck of PBs yest (not that I want too) and I think the issues with my chest burning, may be me eating too fast. So I'm slowing it down and not having any more issues.
- I'm making a training schedule for my first 5K. Everyone says I should look at the Couch to 5K method, and I did and it's not going to work for me and my friend. We need to start off slower... So I'm making my Couch Potato to 5K version.
- I'm going to revamp my blog over the next month. I'm going to include more product reviews and a few guest posts. I'm thinking that I change the layout too.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
WTF Wednesday - Is This What Too Tight Feels Like????
I had my fill on Monday, so I was on liquids Monday and liquids/mushies yesterday. Last night I had some pain in my chest where my band is (kind of under my rib cage on the left) after I took 1 small pill (it was a Benadryl), it didn't feel stuck, but my band wasn't happy lot of burning sensations and I needed a heating pad too help with the pain. Today I've been trying to eat soft foods and my chest hurts with the food going down. Does this mean I'm too tight or that I need to eat smaller bites? WTF?
SO far this week has felt like a whole week of Mondays. I'm on the 3rd Monday in a row WTF?
WTF? -This week I had the 1st comment that pissed me off. I'm an adult and I do not need a blog mom. I feel that I censor my comments and stories enough before I post. I do not need another adult to tell me that I should not be posting something. I'm not telling stories with peoples names and I'm not saying anything that I haven't' said to my girlfriends not in the blog world. I'm not even using my real name on my blog, I'm smart enough to realize that my blog is not completely anonymous and that is fine by me. I'm here for support and that includes support for things that I need to get off of my chest and ranting releases stress, and that helps with stress eating.
So I added this disclaimer-
The thoughts, opinions, and stories shared on this site are my own, you may not like them and you may not find them useful. I’m probably going to upset someone at some point with what I choose to blog about. You have the option to not follow me or read my blog if you are offended or dislike what you are reading, just like I may choose to delete comments that I find rude or inappropriate.
On a happier note, I have decided to do a 5K. I plan on walking the first in September and then running the second in October. I'm thinking that my first motivation reward to myself will be going to Orlando and participating in the Disney Princess Half Marathon which is 13 miles and you have to be able to pace a 16 min or better mile to participate!!!!!!! It's in February. I cannot even imagine walking a 5K at this moment, so this is kind of a scary for me to plan on running 13 miles!! WTF am I thinking and did you see that I'm calling it a reward. Yep, I'm kind of crazy. I have to follow through with the training for the 5K before I register for the Half Marathon.
SO far this week has felt like a whole week of Mondays. I'm on the 3rd Monday in a row WTF?
WTF? -This week I had the 1st comment that pissed me off. I'm an adult and I do not need a blog mom. I feel that I censor my comments and stories enough before I post. I do not need another adult to tell me that I should not be posting something. I'm not telling stories with peoples names and I'm not saying anything that I haven't' said to my girlfriends not in the blog world. I'm not even using my real name on my blog, I'm smart enough to realize that my blog is not completely anonymous and that is fine by me. I'm here for support and that includes support for things that I need to get off of my chest and ranting releases stress, and that helps with stress eating.
So I added this disclaimer-
The thoughts, opinions, and stories shared on this site are my own, you may not like them and you may not find them useful. I’m probably going to upset someone at some point with what I choose to blog about. You have the option to not follow me or read my blog if you are offended or dislike what you are reading, just like I may choose to delete comments that I find rude or inappropriate.
On a happier note, I have decided to do a 5K. I plan on walking the first in September and then running the second in October. I'm thinking that my first motivation reward to myself will be going to Orlando and participating in the Disney Princess Half Marathon which is 13 miles and you have to be able to pace a 16 min or better mile to participate!!!!!!! It's in February. I cannot even imagine walking a 5K at this moment, so this is kind of a scary for me to plan on running 13 miles!! WTF am I thinking and did you see that I'm calling it a reward. Yep, I'm kind of crazy. I have to follow through with the training for the 5K before I register for the Half Marathon.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Fill Number 2
I got my 2nd fill this morning. Karen the NP at my surgeons office added 1.5cc to the 5.25cc in my band for a total of 6.75cc in my 10cc band. I'm feeling the restriction today and I'm on liquids for today and maybe tomorrow and then 1 day of mushies.
Here is me getting my fill today, notice the purple/pink sparkly shoes. I posted this pic on Facebook today with a comments about getting my lap band adjusted and got mixed reviews and comments. Someone commented "I hopped they fix it." The person that left that comment has had gastric bypass and lap band (not in that order), no wonder the band didn't work for her, she did understand how it worked.
We had my son's 1 year old photos taken. I'm going to leave you with a few photos from the photo shoot.
We had my son's 1 year old photos taken. I'm going to leave you with a few photos from the photo shoot.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Ten Things Thursday- Late
1. It rained today in KC! It's been awhile.
2. My husband and I are refinancing our home and cutting the interest in half!! It's exciting to me (this is how you know you have crossed over into adulthood, I'm not sure I would have been excited about something like this when I was 21).
3. I came across Bariatric Foodie Blog the other day and then I found this great post Bariatric Foodie Fitting It All In Jen the blogger of this post had RNY, so Bandsters like myself are probably not taking the same amount of vitamins that she is, but we are all trying to get the right amount of water and protein in everyday. I like how she walks through her day and tells you how she is meeting her goals. I also learned that I should count my protein shake as breakfast. There are also a lot of fun recipes on Bariatric Foodie, so check them out!
4. I got my first spammer comment the other day.... and then I deleted the comment.
5. Julie at The Dandy Bandy was banded yesterday, so stop by and say hi to her if you haven't already done so.
6. I'm sooooo full right now. I need to go back to eating my turkey rollups with cheese at lunch.
7. I'm getting my 2nd fill on Monday. Yeah!!
8. I really need to find some motivation to work out. I find motivation to do lots of stuff like putting on sunscreen to avoid wrinkles and using eye cream everyday to hold off the crows feet. I'm also using firming lotion everyday to help stuff go back into place (I need all the help I can get!) and I'm so freaked out by how my Mom's hands look (she has the hands of an 70 year old and shes a lot younger), that I bought this awesome Avon hand cream that helps refresh how your hands look over night..... and it's helping. So why can I not find the motivation to move my body??? Maybe if I thought the girls were falling I'd at east do some push ups.
9. Rant Time -I have a brother that is 29 and I cannot understand how we are related. He has been mooching off of my parents for years. He lives with my parents, he cannot hold a job, he has 2 kids that live with his wife (the cannot afford to get divorced, she is just like him), he doesn't pay child support, he ruined his car (well it's my Dad's car, cause he actually bought it) he ran the car out of oil, he keeps losing his driver's license because of a stupid seat belt ticket (a $10 ticket) that he didn't pay, and he keeps dragging is girlfriend's animals home to my parents house (don't get me started on the GF, she is also just like my brother). The GF's female dog got pregnant, the kicker is that my brother and his GF say that the did this on purpose. Yesterday, when my husband and I went to pick up our child, my brother brought down one of the 3 week old puppies (I'm not sure why the puppies and mom are at my parent, they have been at the GF apartment) to show me (the one that my brother wants to keep) and I'm like, you have no money, why did you need to keep a dog that you cannot take care of? And why the hell did your GF not get the dog fixed (better question is why does she have the dog in the first place? She cannot take care of her own kids and they live with other people, but I digress)? The dog is a mutt, so it's not like they breed her and could sell the puppies (I'm not really cool with that either). Anyway my brother hears that I'm not ok with this situation and storms out and my mom goes "just leave him alone." Really? That attitude is exactly the reason that he is the way he is, because he can get away with it. All of his friends are exactly the same way.
10. In other news, I got the first check with my raise on it and my husbands insurance..... Yep adding the hubbs to my insurance eats up almost all of my raise, I got a whopping $1.13 more than the last check.
2. My husband and I are refinancing our home and cutting the interest in half!! It's exciting to me (this is how you know you have crossed over into adulthood, I'm not sure I would have been excited about something like this when I was 21).
3. I came across Bariatric Foodie Blog the other day and then I found this great post Bariatric Foodie Fitting It All In Jen the blogger of this post had RNY, so Bandsters like myself are probably not taking the same amount of vitamins that she is, but we are all trying to get the right amount of water and protein in everyday. I like how she walks through her day and tells you how she is meeting her goals. I also learned that I should count my protein shake as breakfast. There are also a lot of fun recipes on Bariatric Foodie, so check them out!
4. I got my first spammer comment the other day.... and then I deleted the comment.
5. Julie at The Dandy Bandy was banded yesterday, so stop by and say hi to her if you haven't already done so.
6. I'm sooooo full right now. I need to go back to eating my turkey rollups with cheese at lunch.
7. I'm getting my 2nd fill on Monday. Yeah!!
8. I really need to find some motivation to work out. I find motivation to do lots of stuff like putting on sunscreen to avoid wrinkles and using eye cream everyday to hold off the crows feet. I'm also using firming lotion everyday to help stuff go back into place (I need all the help I can get!) and I'm so freaked out by how my Mom's hands look (she has the hands of an 70 year old and shes a lot younger), that I bought this awesome Avon hand cream that helps refresh how your hands look over night..... and it's helping. So why can I not find the motivation to move my body??? Maybe if I thought the girls were falling I'd at east do some push ups.
9. Rant Time -I have a brother that is 29 and I cannot understand how we are related. He has been mooching off of my parents for years. He lives with my parents, he cannot hold a job, he has 2 kids that live with his wife (the cannot afford to get divorced, she is just like him), he doesn't pay child support, he ruined his car (well it's my Dad's car, cause he actually bought it) he ran the car out of oil, he keeps losing his driver's license because of a stupid seat belt ticket (a $10 ticket) that he didn't pay, and he keeps dragging is girlfriend's animals home to my parents house (don't get me started on the GF, she is also just like my brother). The GF's female dog got pregnant, the kicker is that my brother and his GF say that the did this on purpose. Yesterday, when my husband and I went to pick up our child, my brother brought down one of the 3 week old puppies (I'm not sure why the puppies and mom are at my parent, they have been at the GF apartment) to show me (the one that my brother wants to keep) and I'm like, you have no money, why did you need to keep a dog that you cannot take care of? And why the hell did your GF not get the dog fixed (better question is why does she have the dog in the first place? She cannot take care of her own kids and they live with other people, but I digress)? The dog is a mutt, so it's not like they breed her and could sell the puppies (I'm not really cool with that either). Anyway my brother hears that I'm not ok with this situation and storms out and my mom goes "just leave him alone." Really? That attitude is exactly the reason that he is the way he is, because he can get away with it. All of his friends are exactly the same way.
10. In other news, I got the first check with my raise on it and my husbands insurance..... Yep adding the hubbs to my insurance eats up almost all of my raise, I got a whopping $1.13 more than the last check.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
New Scale Victory
So I had a fill on July 2nd. I didn't know this but my band had 3cc in it already. After my fill, I now have 5.25cc. I had a day of liquids and then a day of mushies. It was weird to finally feel some tightness, I noticed it when I was eating some applesauce. It wasn't uncomfortable or anything, but it was moving slowly through my band. Fast forward a few days and I'm noticing that I'm not getting hungry as soon after meals and that I'm full.
The fill itself was strange. My weekly allergy shots hurt worse then getting the fill and I wasn't numbed up or anything. The Nurse Practitioner Karen found my port by touch, removed all of the saline that was in my band to figure out how much I already had, she put it back in, and then added more. I was lying down on a table the whole time with a need sticking out of my stomach. I did bleed a little and I did end up with a bruise over my port.
OK so now on to the scale. So I weighed in yesterday at 250.5. That means I'm down 22.5lbs. YEAH ME!!
The fill itself was strange. My weekly allergy shots hurt worse then getting the fill and I wasn't numbed up or anything. The Nurse Practitioner Karen found my port by touch, removed all of the saline that was in my band to figure out how much I already had, she put it back in, and then added more. I was lying down on a table the whole time with a need sticking out of my stomach. I did bleed a little and I did end up with a bruise over my port.
OK so now on to the scale. So I weighed in yesterday at 250.5. That means I'm down 22.5lbs. YEAH ME!!
Monday, July 2, 2012
First Fill!!
The scale seemed to be stuck for a few weeks, but I can now report that I'm down another 1.5lbs. I have lost 19.5 lbs since 5/10/12, when I started my Pre-Op diet. I'm going to have to look for another swim suit, mine is a little big and bad things happen when big suits get wet!!
Anyway, I'm going to get my first fill today at 3pm. I'm seeing the nurse practitioner and not the surgeon. I do have some silly questions to ask her.... Like where is my port? I guess that will be easy to answer, because she has to find it to fill it. How big many CC is my band? This weird twinge I feel on my left side sometimes, is that my band??
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Busy Week and 1 Month Bandiversary
I haven't posted anything for a little while because I have been really busy. I did start 3 different blogs and never got the chance to finish them :( Oh well, I'm going to try to sum the last few weeks up.
I ended up taking 2 extra weeks off work after my surgery because of a complication see blog here about that. I went back to work on June 11th and have been busy busy busy. I'm working on a really important project at work that was suppose to start on July 1st, but when I got back I learned that it should have started on June 1st, but FEMA didn't get around to approving it until June 11th. After the approval I was given the go ahead to create the training documents and teach the training to the folks that are helping on the project.
My department moved from are temporary digs finally on Friday, here is a picture of my almost completely packed desk. Can you believe I had 7 boxes of stuff and 1 tote in this little area? That doesn't even include the computer stuff! I'll post a picture of my new full size cube next week, so you can see the difference!
On a different note I changed my birth control a few months ago and I was luck enough to have the worst week ever due to my TOM. I'm pretty sure that I need something different. So when I see my OBGYN next week, we are going to figure out what the hell is going on!
On the weight loss front, I'm still hanging on to a 17 lb weight loss. I do have restriction, even without a fill. I cannot eat anywhere near the same amount of food that I use to be able too. I'm making sure to get my protein in, but I'm not working out like I should be. I'm more active, but not "working out." So my game plan is...... I'm going to wake up early next week and do some walking before the family gets up and I'm racing to get out of the house. I'm not starting on Monday, but Thursday. I'm also going to log in to My Fitness Pal and figure out how to make it work for me. So far, I'm not a fan.
I ended up taking 2 extra weeks off work after my surgery because of a complication see blog here about that. I went back to work on June 11th and have been busy busy busy. I'm working on a really important project at work that was suppose to start on July 1st, but when I got back I learned that it should have started on June 1st, but FEMA didn't get around to approving it until June 11th. After the approval I was given the go ahead to create the training documents and teach the training to the folks that are helping on the project.
My department moved from are temporary digs finally on Friday, here is a picture of my almost completely packed desk. Can you believe I had 7 boxes of stuff and 1 tote in this little area? That doesn't even include the computer stuff! I'll post a picture of my new full size cube next week, so you can see the difference!
On a different note I changed my birth control a few months ago and I was luck enough to have the worst week ever due to my TOM. I'm pretty sure that I need something different. So when I see my OBGYN next week, we are going to figure out what the hell is going on!
On the weight loss front, I'm still hanging on to a 17 lb weight loss. I do have restriction, even without a fill. I cannot eat anywhere near the same amount of food that I use to be able too. I'm making sure to get my protein in, but I'm not working out like I should be. I'm more active, but not "working out." So my game plan is...... I'm going to wake up early next week and do some walking before the family gets up and I'm racing to get out of the house. I'm not starting on Monday, but Thursday. I'm also going to log in to My Fitness Pal and figure out how to make it work for me. So far, I'm not a fan.
Friday, June 15, 2012
3 Weeks In
I'm still on soft meat, so I thought that I would try something new Lowerys Pulled Pork BBQ. There was too much sauce and it didn't go down well. I didn't get stuck, but it was kind of gurgly going down and it really didn't taste good. Today I tried some cottage cheese and had the same issues, so maybe it has to do with the amount of liquid in the product. Anyone else have this issue? Also I haven't lost any weight this week, but my clothes are getting looser.
So at work I was given a really important project that started this week. So far it's going really well. I have also been waiting for my meeting with my manager about my raise. During my performance review my super let it slip that I might be getting promoted, but I found out that my promotion didn't get approved. The part that sucks, is the reason that it didn't get approved, I cannot control. See the cheap bastards that bought the company that I work for a few years ago, have some stupid rule about promotions. You cannot be promoted, if the max raise doesn't put you into the new positions pay band and my current salary plus the max raise leaves me $777 under the pay band. Yep they wouldn't give me an additional $777 a year. I'm never going to make any money here and it's stupid that I cannot get promoted because of my salary. Good news is that I got a nice raise.
So at work I was given a really important project that started this week. So far it's going really well. I have also been waiting for my meeting with my manager about my raise. During my performance review my super let it slip that I might be getting promoted, but I found out that my promotion didn't get approved. The part that sucks, is the reason that it didn't get approved, I cannot control. See the cheap bastards that bought the company that I work for a few years ago, have some stupid rule about promotions. You cannot be promoted, if the max raise doesn't put you into the new positions pay band and my current salary plus the max raise leaves me $777 under the pay band. Yep they wouldn't give me an additional $777 a year. I'm never going to make any money here and it's stupid that I cannot get promoted because of my salary. Good news is that I got a nice raise.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Two Week Bandiversary
Four weeks ago (the day I started my pre-op diet) I weighed in at 272 and as of today I'm 255. SO that is 17lbs in a months!!
My surgery was two weeks ago today. I still have a little pain in my stomach on my left side, it is not bad enough for pain meds. I can kind of sleep on my sides again. I think the pain is from my band. I'm not having any problems with food. I have had chicken and a small slice of thin crust pizza and no issues. I'm keeping up with the stool softeners, so no more issues with that either.
NSV- My fat pants are sooooo big that I can take them on and off without unbuttoning and unzipping them. They are way too big to wear out in public. They are a 22 blue circle from LB. The 20 blue circles fit in the waist but are too big in the butt and thighs. My 22 red triangles that I bought before I found out I was pregnant summer of 2010 fit again in all the right places. LB sizing is confusing and even the items that are the same size and cut DO NOT FIT THE SAME. So annoying!!
My surgery was two weeks ago today. I still have a little pain in my stomach on my left side, it is not bad enough for pain meds. I can kind of sleep on my sides again. I think the pain is from my band. I'm not having any problems with food. I have had chicken and a small slice of thin crust pizza and no issues. I'm keeping up with the stool softeners, so no more issues with that either.
NSV- My fat pants are sooooo big that I can take them on and off without unbuttoning and unzipping them. They are way too big to wear out in public. They are a 22 blue circle from LB. The 20 blue circles fit in the waist but are too big in the butt and thighs. My 22 red triangles that I bought before I found out I was pregnant summer of 2010 fit again in all the right places. LB sizing is confusing and even the items that are the same size and cut DO NOT FIT THE SAME. So annoying!!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
WTF Wednesday
I have a 14 month old son and he is a vocal child. Children his age are suppose to say single words and babble a lot. My child babbles and then says full sentences. He started this a few months ago by saying "get the kitty" and not he says "what ya doing" "why you do that" "who are you" "what is that" "what is this" "let me do it" "I do it" "I did it" "go outside," I'm not sure where some of these even came from. I thought that I was just turning his babbling into sentences, but he is really saying them. WTF!!
The same 14 month old is also a screamer. He screams all of the time for no reason like he is being murdered or kidnapped. Everyone tells me he's just frustrated because he cannot communicate what he wants. WTF!!! I cannot wait for this phase to be over.
I don't like tuna salad, chicken salad, coleslaw, or anything with mayo or miracle whip, but I started craving tuna salad for some reason WTF! A very specific tuna salad that was served at this restaurant I worked at 12 years ago. So I tried to make it from memory and it was nasty. I still hate tuna salad.
I had my post op appointment over the phone. My surgeon it trying something "new." WTF!! I think it's because they have so many patients that they are too busy to see everyone. Case in point, the nurse had a hard time finding a time slot 5 weeks out to schedule my first fill- July 2nd!
The same 14 month old is also a screamer. He screams all of the time for no reason like he is being murdered or kidnapped. Everyone tells me he's just frustrated because he cannot communicate what he wants. WTF!!! I cannot wait for this phase to be over.
I don't like tuna salad, chicken salad, coleslaw, or anything with mayo or miracle whip, but I started craving tuna salad for some reason WTF! A very specific tuna salad that was served at this restaurant I worked at 12 years ago. So I tried to make it from memory and it was nasty. I still hate tuna salad.
I had my post op appointment over the phone. My surgeon it trying something "new." WTF!! I think it's because they have so many patients that they are too busy to see everyone. Case in point, the nurse had a hard time finding a time slot 5 weeks out to schedule my first fill- July 2nd!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Monday, Monday, Monday...
- I've been watching the Food and Cook Networks and been on Pinterest looking at food...... all the time. I'm board with the mushy stuff and want to eat some meat.
- I have to go to the surgeons office today and drop off my FMLA/STD paper work.
- My husband and I took the baby on a long walk yesterday to the store to rent a movie. I was not dressed for a long walk, but I brought my spray fan!
- I'm having a hard time juggling getting in all off my water and waiting to drink until 30 mins or so after I eat.
- So back in March my husband told me that he was going on a diet and was going to lose weight.... This was my Anniversary gift. Since then he has not been dieting at all. He goes to the store and buy Cheetos, ice cream, cookies, candy, Hot Pockets, Kool Aid, the list goes on. He is really pissing me off. Now he wants to get rid of cable and go to some freaking computer ran over air complicatedness. I told him that the only way I was giving up cable is if he got under 300 lbs and stayed there for a few weeks. He has to lose 11 lbs and he's not really interested. I suggested that he try Weight Watchers. His version of a diet is me making him food and him eating it. He needs to read, learn, and follow a diet on his own and it really doesn't matter which diet.
- I'm down 17.5 pounds since starting my pre-op diet, just over 3 weeks ago.
- I'm breaking up with Lane Bryant. I refuse to buy anything else from them. It's a good thing that I have a stockpile of smaller sized clothes, so maybe I'll get through some of the weight loss without having to buy a lot of clothes. Now here's the problem. It's hot, I'm hot (sweaty hot) and I don't really have a lot of summer wear clothes. I normally just don't wear shorts and I only have a few capri pants, but I feel that it's time to start wearing shorts.
That's all folks..... I'm hungry, so I'm gonna get my mushy on.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
PSA for Stool Softener
I'm going to start by telling you this is gross, so stop reading now if you don't want to hear about it.
I have had the most horrible couple of days. Tuesday, I was really nauseous and had a hard time eating (drinking) my protein shake and soup. I had to leave work early. Wednesday, the moment that I got in the car to leave for work I knew that I should just stay home. After dropping of my son and my husband, I headed to work like normal and the moment I got to work it happened (or didn't). I dropped my stuff off at my desk and headed to the bathroom and I was there for an hour straining and trying to get the poop out and it just wouldn't come out. I was so uncomfortable that I was unable to sit and I was clammy and sweating, so I went home. I spent the next 4 hours trying to make it happen. I was screaming my head off (good thing the neighbors didn't call the police), straining, pleading with god, and thinking that this was like natural birth. So I did what any savvy person does and Googled "stuck poop" and came back with impacted bowl and instruction on how to fix my problem. I'm not going to get into how to de-impact a bowl, you can Google that for yourself, but I can tell you that if I had be instructed to take a stool softener after surgery I wouldn't have been in this mess to start with. I did try to speak with a nurse at the Surgeons office, I didn't get a call back from a nurse just a receptionist relaying a not helpful message and it was 3 hours later and I had already determined how to fix my problem at that point.
Just get some Miralax or the store brand and start taking it after surgery.
I'm going to take some extra time off work and rest up.
I have had the most horrible couple of days. Tuesday, I was really nauseous and had a hard time eating (drinking) my protein shake and soup. I had to leave work early. Wednesday, the moment that I got in the car to leave for work I knew that I should just stay home. After dropping of my son and my husband, I headed to work like normal and the moment I got to work it happened (or didn't). I dropped my stuff off at my desk and headed to the bathroom and I was there for an hour straining and trying to get the poop out and it just wouldn't come out. I was so uncomfortable that I was unable to sit and I was clammy and sweating, so I went home. I spent the next 4 hours trying to make it happen. I was screaming my head off (good thing the neighbors didn't call the police), straining, pleading with god, and thinking that this was like natural birth. So I did what any savvy person does and Googled "stuck poop" and came back with impacted bowl and instruction on how to fix my problem. I'm not going to get into how to de-impact a bowl, you can Google that for yourself, but I can tell you that if I had be instructed to take a stool softener after surgery I wouldn't have been in this mess to start with. I did try to speak with a nurse at the Surgeons office, I didn't get a call back from a nurse just a receptionist relaying a not helpful message and it was 3 hours later and I had already determined how to fix my problem at that point.
Just get some Miralax or the store brand and start taking it after surgery.
I'm going to take some extra time off work and rest up.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
5 Days Post-Op and Back to Work
I'm starting to think that I should have taken another day off. I'm more nauseous today then I have been this entire time and I'm suppose to start "Stage 2" today. Stage 1 is all clear liquids and and Stage 2 is all liquid and pureed fruits. I was really excited to eat the soup that I made last night, but now I'm not so sure that it's going to happen. I might be a tad dehydrated, so I'm sipping some G2 Gatorade to see if that helps. It also hurts to bend over and I have a weird pain in my neck on the left side towards the back, feels like a sore muscle. The waist band of my jeans is making my stomach hurt (where the holes from surgery are) when I sit and I sit at a desk all day. So I rigged the button on my jeans with a hair tie to keep them closed but kind of loose.
So last night I accidently ate a piece of raw broccoli..... How did that happen??? My child is in this horrible screeching phase and we were trying to ignore him. I was also trying to make broccoli cheddar soup and the screeching child is quite a distraction..... After I finished cutting up the broccoli, I reached down and grabbed a small piece of the bushy top and ate it..... and then waited and it went down.... It didn't get stuck! After the broccoli, I had a few spoonfuls of yogurt.
I'm thinking that I might leave work early today and go home and take a nap.
So last night I accidently ate a piece of raw broccoli..... How did that happen??? My child is in this horrible screeching phase and we were trying to ignore him. I was also trying to make broccoli cheddar soup and the screeching child is quite a distraction..... After I finished cutting up the broccoli, I reached down and grabbed a small piece of the bushy top and ate it..... and then waited and it went down.... It didn't get stuck! After the broccoli, I had a few spoonfuls of yogurt.
I'm thinking that I might leave work early today and go home and take a nap.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
3 Days Post Op
I'm not too bad, I'm sore enough in the stomach area that I still need my prescription pain med every 4-6 hours, which is making my skin itch. I have not been very nauseous and I have been real gassy. I have been pretty sleepy, which may be a combo of the pain med and just having surgery. I'm really not sleeping very well at night. I'm waking up every few hours and I'm not really sure why.
One day post-op, my 14 month old child started vomiting, not spitting up, but projectile vomiting and running a small fever. So being sore and trying to help clean my child, the couch, the floor, myself, and my husband up was interesting and we had to repeat this 3 times. I'm glad no one else came down with his bug.
Anyway, I'm on clear liquids until Tuesday and then it's full liquids and I'm planning on making some soup, split pea, broccoli cheddar, and maybe pumpkin.
One day post-op, my 14 month old child started vomiting, not spitting up, but projectile vomiting and running a small fever. So being sore and trying to help clean my child, the couch, the floor, myself, and my husband up was interesting and we had to repeat this 3 times. I'm glad no one else came down with his bug.
Anyway, I'm on clear liquids until Tuesday and then it's full liquids and I'm planning on making some soup, split pea, broccoli cheddar, and maybe pumpkin.
Friday, May 25, 2012
I'm Alive and a Bandster!
I had my surgery yesterday and I'm doing ok. My ribs feel like they were ran over by a car. Apparently I had a hiatal hernia that Dr Malley fixed while he was in there and that they had to "blow me up a little more to fix it." I really haven't had a lot of shoulder pain, but I have had a few random hiccups and man those hurt. My surgery nurse Rena was funny she had me laughing my head off before surgery.
Surgery Day went like this.......
My surgery was moved up to 10:30 and I found that Wednesday, so I had to check in at 8:00.
My husband and I took our child to my parents and left him with my Dad, my husband went to work and my mom and I drove to the surgery center. We made good time and got there a few minutes early.
My surgery nurse Rena came and got me from the lobby and my mom had to hang out in the lobby until I was prepped.
I weighed in at 263.4, so a loss of 8.6 lbs in 2 weeks.
They took my height, which there is no way could be correct. There measuring stick thing said 5'4" and I'm been measured a lot in the last few years and I'm almost 5'7" not sure what's going on there.
We got to my room and I was handed a cup to pee in. Once I got back to the room I was given instructions to change into a gown and awesome socks. I didn't realize that blinds were open and I gave the highway a show until after I was changed....
Rena came back in and started my IV and gave me some Pepcid through my IV to help my stomach and than gave me a shot to help prevent blood clots. They (another nurse came in to help Rena) took my temp, blood pressure, heart rate, and placed these monitor pads on me. Rena gave me the remote to watch some TV and I looked at it and it had 1 button with a red plus sign on it, so I tell her that this remote looks like a nurse call button and she said haha your right and handed me the TV remote.
Around 9:00 Rena popped her head back in and I asked about going to the bathroom, so she got me set up to walk down the hall to take care of business.
Once I got back in the Anesthesiologist popped in to ask me a few questions and than Dr Malley, popped in to see if I had any questions and to tell me that we were going to get started soon.
They came and got me around 9:45. Once we got into the surgery room they had me move over to a different bed and started strapping down my arms.... I don't remember anything after that.
About 11:15 I opened my eyes for a sec and caught the time, then I remember lifting my oxygen mask and saying that I think I'm going to vomit and someone handed me a sucky thing to put in my mouth, but it was just a burp and I giggled and put the mask back down. I also remember having a lot of phlegm in my throat.
After that I started to wake up enough that my mom got to come back to my room. I had a sore throat from the tube that they put down your throat while you are in surgery. I also had horrible cotton mouth. Rena wouldn't let me have any water or ice chips until I had my barium swallow and had seen Dr Malley. I did get to have a pink swab to wet my mouth with. I basically slept on and off for a few hours. At some point Rena asked me if I felt that I could go to the bathroom and I said "let do it!" So I walked down the hall with some help from my nurse. My husband popped back in over his lunch to make sure that I was doing OK (he just started a new job and couldn't take the whole day off).
Around 1:30 Some one came and got me for my barium swallow, which was exciting (closer to going home). I took a picture of my band.
Shortly after that the Anesthesiologist came in and asked how I was feeling and if I remember anything, I was like you mean during surgery? No (weird, right?). I did tell him that my throat was sore and he acted like that was weird.
Rena pushed the rest of the drugs into my IV before taking it out and letting me change.
After I was changed, Dr Malley came in and went over my surgery and my post op instructions again and I was finally given some Apple Juice to sip.
Shortly after, I was given my prescriptions for pain med and anti nausea med and we were off. I was wheeled to the car and we were headed home. We did stop by the drug store to fill my prescriptions, but made it home around 3:00pm.
I have been sleeping with a heating pad under my back and a heated throw on top of me to help with the pain.
Surgery Day went like this.......
My surgery was moved up to 10:30 and I found that Wednesday, so I had to check in at 8:00.
My husband and I took our child to my parents and left him with my Dad, my husband went to work and my mom and I drove to the surgery center. We made good time and got there a few minutes early.
My surgery nurse Rena came and got me from the lobby and my mom had to hang out in the lobby until I was prepped.
I weighed in at 263.4, so a loss of 8.6 lbs in 2 weeks.
They took my height, which there is no way could be correct. There measuring stick thing said 5'4" and I'm been measured a lot in the last few years and I'm almost 5'7" not sure what's going on there.
We got to my room and I was handed a cup to pee in. Once I got back to the room I was given instructions to change into a gown and awesome socks. I didn't realize that blinds were open and I gave the highway a show until after I was changed....
Rena came back in and started my IV and gave me some Pepcid through my IV to help my stomach and than gave me a shot to help prevent blood clots. They (another nurse came in to help Rena) took my temp, blood pressure, heart rate, and placed these monitor pads on me. Rena gave me the remote to watch some TV and I looked at it and it had 1 button with a red plus sign on it, so I tell her that this remote looks like a nurse call button and she said haha your right and handed me the TV remote.
Around 9:00 Rena popped her head back in and I asked about going to the bathroom, so she got me set up to walk down the hall to take care of business.
Once I got back in the Anesthesiologist popped in to ask me a few questions and than Dr Malley, popped in to see if I had any questions and to tell me that we were going to get started soon.
They came and got me around 9:45. Once we got into the surgery room they had me move over to a different bed and started strapping down my arms.... I don't remember anything after that.
About 11:15 I opened my eyes for a sec and caught the time, then I remember lifting my oxygen mask and saying that I think I'm going to vomit and someone handed me a sucky thing to put in my mouth, but it was just a burp and I giggled and put the mask back down. I also remember having a lot of phlegm in my throat.
After that I started to wake up enough that my mom got to come back to my room. I had a sore throat from the tube that they put down your throat while you are in surgery. I also had horrible cotton mouth. Rena wouldn't let me have any water or ice chips until I had my barium swallow and had seen Dr Malley. I did get to have a pink swab to wet my mouth with. I basically slept on and off for a few hours. At some point Rena asked me if I felt that I could go to the bathroom and I said "let do it!" So I walked down the hall with some help from my nurse. My husband popped back in over his lunch to make sure that I was doing OK (he just started a new job and couldn't take the whole day off).
Around 1:30 Some one came and got me for my barium swallow, which was exciting (closer to going home). I took a picture of my band.
Shortly after that the Anesthesiologist came in and asked how I was feeling and if I remember anything, I was like you mean during surgery? No (weird, right?). I did tell him that my throat was sore and he acted like that was weird.
Rena pushed the rest of the drugs into my IV before taking it out and letting me change.
After I was changed, Dr Malley came in and went over my surgery and my post op instructions again and I was finally given some Apple Juice to sip.
Shortly after, I was given my prescriptions for pain med and anti nausea med and we were off. I was wheeled to the car and we were headed home. We did stop by the drug store to fill my prescriptions, but made it home around 3:00pm.
I have been sleeping with a heating pad under my back and a heated throw on top of me to help with the pain.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
T - 2 Days Until I'm Banded
I'm on the last day before my all clear liquid day starts and then Thursday I'm having my Lap Band surgery at Noon. Right now I feel like I need to vomit..... kind of funny, cause there really would only be liquids to vomit up. I'm kind of nervous about my surgery and I keep on pushing away my irrational fears about surgery (surgery in general). I've been put under 2 other times, and I have had a C-Section, so I'm not a newbie. I now have a small child to add to the mix. I just keep reminding myself that the path I was on was leading me to an untimely death and that I'm doing this for myself first, but for my child/family too.
Warning the following involves Aunt Flow......
It also occurred to me that I'm suppose to start my period tomorrow.... perfect timing, right? I could have figured this out by looking at the app on my phone or my birth control pack, but I didn't really consider Aunt Flow when scheduling my surgery. This is only an issue because I'm not really a fan of tampons and since I will not be able to use my normal method of protection during my surgery, I have to go get a sample pack. I still have a few of the Instead Soft Cups, which is a cup that you insert into your hoohaa and push up inside, maybe I'll use one of those, I like them better.
Friday, May 18, 2012
T - 6 Days Until I'm Banded!!
I'm getting excited about my surgery. I go to the surgery center Monday to have some blood work done and pee in a cup. They are suppose to go over my post-op diet with me too.
I'm not really felling horrible on the pre-op diet. I did have a moment on day 3, I was really hungry and had been taking care of my child and kind of put aside eating for longer than I should have. I blew up at my husband and there was crying AND I was using a big knife to chop up my fruit...... and that is when I decided that now was not the time to discuss anything important or have any type of argument with my husband. Being hungry could make me a tad irrational (putting it nicely).
I have lost 4 pounds since last Thursday when I started the pre-op diet. I'm not sure how that measures up to everyone else, but my diet is a little different than some of the other diets that I have read about.
I had my review at work this week and I hope to have some really good news to sure soon :)
Well that's it for now.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Finally!!
I know what my out of pocket expense is going to be, so I'm not freaking out about not being able to have the surgery. The surgery center is helping me out a lot, because I have crappy insurance. I'm going to reach my bariatric surgery life time max the day of the surgery, so after the first 90 days of after care, I'll be self pay at $150 an appointment. Of course if my insurance changes, than the clock is reset. It's a good thing I've been following along with the diet :)
Day 5 of Pre-Op Diet
I have been on this pre-op diet for 5 days (today is the start of day 5) and I think things have been going good. I'm drinking my 2 protein shakes and chicken broth (like a rock star!) until dinner. I'm eating lean meat and veggies for dinner, and I'm snaking on SF Jello. I went to a going away party for work on Friday and had only iced tea. I turned down chips and dip and chicken wings... I noticed that some of my jeans are a little loose, but the scale didn't show a loss..... I'm going to re-way myself tomorrow before the shower (I swear!!) and without the wet towel on my head (I know that stuff is throwing off my weight).
I'm still waiting to hear about my out of pocket expense from the surgery center, but I got the Dr's out about amount after I read the Insurance Coordinator the riot act on Friday. The surgery center lady didn't get my info until last Tuesday and she was out of the office Thursday and Friday.... So, I'll give her until tomorrow to get back to me.
It amazes me that doctor's offices think they do not have to provide good customer service. If you tell me that you are going to do something, I expect you to do it. I except to know what it's going to cost me before I have this procedure. They except me to pay them, right? I'm a customer and I will go somewhere else. It's not just this doctor's office, it's all of them. My Chiropractor's billing person is horrible. She sent something to my insurance incorrectly and they denied it, I called the office and told them there was an issue with my bill, she called me back right away. She told me that she was going to call me back after speaking with my insurance. Did she call me back? No. I left 3 messages with the office to have her call me back and I got not response from her. So the next time I was in the office I was talking to the lady at the counter and she told me this sob story about what was going on with the lady that does the billing, how her child was sick. **I feel sorry about her sick kid, but from a customer service prospective, it's not my fault that this lady had a family issue and it shouldn't be used to explain away the lack of service that I'm getting. They should have a back up person taking care of her duties and calling me back.** The last time I left a message, it was for the office manager to call me and guess what happened? The billing lady called me instead and said, I'm not sure what you were calling in regards too, but I was told to call you. I asked about my jacked up charges and she said.... They were fixed and I left you a message. Really? I have voice mail that only I can check and I didn't get a message from her. I really, really, really, love my Chiropractor or I would go somewhere else. They also have an assistant in there that I have had to explained to that I have a hyphenated last name (like Smith-Weston [not my actual last name] and that my first name is Jane, she keeps calling me Smith, not Mrs. Smith, but Smith. I have explained to her multiple times that when you alphabetize by last name my stuff should be in the S's not the W's. Than she tells me we alphabetize by last name and I always tell her that my first name is Jane and my last name is Smith-Weston and than she calls me Smith again.... (I'm banging my head at this point) and this happens every time I'm in the office.
I'm still waiting to hear about my out of pocket expense from the surgery center, but I got the Dr's out about amount after I read the Insurance Coordinator the riot act on Friday. The surgery center lady didn't get my info until last Tuesday and she was out of the office Thursday and Friday.... So, I'll give her until tomorrow to get back to me.
It amazes me that doctor's offices think they do not have to provide good customer service. If you tell me that you are going to do something, I expect you to do it. I except to know what it's going to cost me before I have this procedure. They except me to pay them, right? I'm a customer and I will go somewhere else. It's not just this doctor's office, it's all of them. My Chiropractor's billing person is horrible. She sent something to my insurance incorrectly and they denied it, I called the office and told them there was an issue with my bill, she called me back right away. She told me that she was going to call me back after speaking with my insurance. Did she call me back? No. I left 3 messages with the office to have her call me back and I got not response from her. So the next time I was in the office I was talking to the lady at the counter and she told me this sob story about what was going on with the lady that does the billing, how her child was sick. **I feel sorry about her sick kid, but from a customer service prospective, it's not my fault that this lady had a family issue and it shouldn't be used to explain away the lack of service that I'm getting. They should have a back up person taking care of her duties and calling me back.** The last time I left a message, it was for the office manager to call me and guess what happened? The billing lady called me instead and said, I'm not sure what you were calling in regards too, but I was told to call you. I asked about my jacked up charges and she said.... They were fixed and I left you a message. Really? I have voice mail that only I can check and I didn't get a message from her. I really, really, really, love my Chiropractor or I would go somewhere else. They also have an assistant in there that I have had to explained to that I have a hyphenated last name (like Smith-Weston [not my actual last name] and that my first name is Jane, she keeps calling me Smith, not Mrs. Smith, but Smith. I have explained to her multiple times that when you alphabetize by last name my stuff should be in the S's not the W's. Than she tells me we alphabetize by last name and I always tell her that my first name is Jane and my last name is Smith-Weston and than she calls me Smith again.... (I'm banging my head at this point) and this happens every time I'm in the office.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Per-Op Diet Day one.... So Far
I weighed this morning, but I forgot to do it before my shower.... So I deducted .5 for wet hair. I'm calling this my start weight 272. I'll do some measurements and "before" photos tonight.
So far I had my normal Green Monster Protein Shake see my post about this here, some lower sodium chicken broth, and I'm working on my second protein shake.... just water and protein powder.... I also added a little sugar free cherry/pomegranate drink mix. I also has a small plum. I'm hungry and my awesome friend is tormenting me with the her awesome smelling Eggplant Parm lunch that she made last night... I might go for a walk to keep my mind on other things.
I still have not heard from the surgery center about my out of pocket expense. I don't understand why it's taking so long to figure out. I feel that if it's too much I'm going to have to postpone or go some where else..
So far I had my normal Green Monster Protein Shake see my post about this here, some lower sodium chicken broth, and I'm working on my second protein shake.... just water and protein powder.... I also added a little sugar free cherry/pomegranate drink mix. I also has a small plum. I'm hungry and my awesome friend is tormenting me with the her awesome smelling Eggplant Parm lunch that she made last night... I might go for a walk to keep my mind on other things.
I still have not heard from the surgery center about my out of pocket expense. I don't understand why it's taking so long to figure out. I feel that if it's too much I'm going to have to postpone or go some where else..
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
So I'm Annoyed
I have been waiting for a week for an email from the surgery center about my out of pocket cost after the insurance pays their part. I was told by the insurance coordinator that she would email it to me last Friday and then yesterday she emails me to tell me someone else is figuring it out for me and it will be a few more days.
Aetna pays only 50% up to 10K and they exclude it from my out of pocket max, so instead of the remaining $800 out of pocket max, I could pay several $1,000 dollars. If it's too ridiculous I'm going to shop around for a better price or try to negotiate a better price. I'm suppose to start the pre-op diet tomorrow and I would like to have this figured out before than.
Aetna pays only 50% up to 10K and they exclude it from my out of pocket max, so instead of the remaining $800 out of pocket max, I could pay several $1,000 dollars. If it's too ridiculous I'm going to shop around for a better price or try to negotiate a better price. I'm suppose to start the pre-op diet tomorrow and I would like to have this figured out before than.
Monday, May 7, 2012
D - 17 Days
- I have 17 days to go before I'm banded!!
- I have 3 days to go before I start my pre-op diet. Which my dad who is banded said he would do with me (he needs to get back on the "band wagon") and I'm trying to talk my husband into doing it with me too.
- I have 16 days before I'm on the all clear liquid diet and I'm a little scared about that, because I'll be at work...... Watch out people!!
- I should only have to buy socks for a while. I have clothes to a size 10/12. I'm thinking that I should be fine, unless I need more dress clothes. I'm not swearing off shopping, but I will not need to buy complete wardrobes of different sizes while I'm losing.
- It's sooooo hot and humid here (it's been like 87 plus and it's only May) that I may have to forgo swearing off shorts/skirts in public. Cause this girl is hot and not in a good way.
The only thing that I'm kind of worried about is who is going with me to the surgery center. My husband has taken May 24th and 25th off at his current job, but is waiting on an offer from another job (he should here from them today) and if he gives 2 weeks notice today/tomorrow, he will be staring at the new place the week of my surgery. I may have to have either my mom or dad go with me and the other stay with my child (they watch him when we are working) and maybe my friend can come over and hang out with me on Friday. I think that I may sleep a lot the day after, so I don't know if I want to have someone in the house with me or not. Any ideas??
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Pre-Op Appointment
Last Friday I had my pre-op appointment at the Surgeon office. I found out that I'm getting a low-profile port, which they give to all of their female patients. There really wasn't anything new at this appointment, the Nurse went over the risks again and asked me for an updated history and meds list. I have to go to the Surgery Center a week before my surgery to pee in a cup and give some blood. Other than that I have 18 days to go.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
10 Things Thursday and a few WTF for WTF Wednesday
Alternate title; WTF Thursday!!!
1. I was approved for Lap Band Surgery and have my date 5/24! I don't know what time yet and the insurance coordinator was suppose to email me what my out of pocket was going to be.... WTF I'm still waiting!!
2. WTF!! I have been having some super sexy day dreams for the last few days..... Maybe it's the new birth control.
3. I have my pre-op diet, which I will start in a week. It's not all liquid until the day before my surgery. Basically it's a protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and lean meat and steamed veggies for dinner and I can have 2 servings of fruit in my shakes or by themselves.
4. I'm getting a big project at work. It should be going strong by July, it could start sooner. I'm finishing up a different project that will drag out for a few weeks/months and I have some advance training coming up. WTF... This all happened after I got an email last Friday stating that they were more or less pulling me from my current project and no conversion about the change. This prompted me to look around for a better option. I got the conversion happened yesterday.
5. I'm organizing a fiesta at work tomorrow over lunch.... WTF.... My pre-op appointment is over lunch, so I may not get any :( There should be some tacos left when I get back.
6. I had to iron my husbands dress shirt this morning on short notice while our child was throwing a fit..... He was getting dressed an realized the blue shirt hanging with his suit was not the shirt that he wanted to wear to his interview. I asked him to make sure that everything was ready to put on today.... and of course he didn't. Men! (kind of a WTF too, right?)
7. I have been noticing that the new protein powder has a slight after taste. Sam's finally has the brand that I like back in stock (after 2 weeks of not having any).
8. Super sexy dreams are co-staring someone that I used to work with..... WTF!
9. It's super humid in Kansas City and it's only May. It's going to be a hot summer.
10. Thank god tomorrow is Friday and payday!!
Bonus - 31 followers!!!! I'm thinking about a give away, once I hit 50 followers!!!
1. I was approved for Lap Band Surgery and have my date 5/24! I don't know what time yet and the insurance coordinator was suppose to email me what my out of pocket was going to be.... WTF I'm still waiting!!
2. WTF!! I have been having some super sexy day dreams for the last few days..... Maybe it's the new birth control.
3. I have my pre-op diet, which I will start in a week. It's not all liquid until the day before my surgery. Basically it's a protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and lean meat and steamed veggies for dinner and I can have 2 servings of fruit in my shakes or by themselves.
4. I'm getting a big project at work. It should be going strong by July, it could start sooner. I'm finishing up a different project that will drag out for a few weeks/months and I have some advance training coming up. WTF... This all happened after I got an email last Friday stating that they were more or less pulling me from my current project and no conversion about the change. This prompted me to look around for a better option. I got the conversion happened yesterday.
5. I'm organizing a fiesta at work tomorrow over lunch.... WTF.... My pre-op appointment is over lunch, so I may not get any :( There should be some tacos left when I get back.
6. I had to iron my husbands dress shirt this morning on short notice while our child was throwing a fit..... He was getting dressed an realized the blue shirt hanging with his suit was not the shirt that he wanted to wear to his interview. I asked him to make sure that everything was ready to put on today.... and of course he didn't. Men! (kind of a WTF too, right?)
7. I have been noticing that the new protein powder has a slight after taste. Sam's finally has the brand that I like back in stock (after 2 weeks of not having any).
8. Super sexy dreams are co-staring someone that I used to work with..... WTF!
9. It's super humid in Kansas City and it's only May. It's going to be a hot summer.
10. Thank god tomorrow is Friday and payday!!
Bonus - 31 followers!!!! I'm thinking about a give away, once I hit 50 followers!!!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Guess What?
I got my insurance approval today!!!! My banding date is 5/24!! I don't have to do any other pre surgery stuff for my insurance. My pre-op appointment is this Friday and I will start my pre-op diet maybe Monday?
Saturday, April 28, 2012
This Day is Over... New Day Tomorrow.
This is not WLS related.... so if you want to stop reading I'd be okay with that.
I came home from the Chiropractor's office this morning wanting to take my son to feed the ducks and have a family picnic. When I got home, my husband poo-pooed on my picnic idea and then he got a work call.... which took forever. While we (my son and I) were waiting for him to get done with his work call (his is on call this week) it started raining really hard with thunder and lighting. Yep... we didn't make it to feed the ducks and I'm in a bad mood.
I came home from the Chiropractor's office this morning wanting to take my son to feed the ducks and have a family picnic. When I got home, my husband poo-pooed on my picnic idea and then he got a work call.... which took forever. While we (my son and I) were waiting for him to get done with his work call (his is on call this week) it started raining really hard with thunder and lighting. Yep... we didn't make it to feed the ducks and I'm in a bad mood.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
10 Things Thursday
1. I got an email yesterday from the surgery center and they have sent all of my paperwork to my insurance for approval!!!!!!!! I'm hoping for a quick turn around with a yes!
2. I'm really tired, I should have left my CPAP mask on all night.
3. Bring your kids to work day is going pretty smooth. My 1 year old is at Grandma's like every other work day.
4. I'm looking for a P&C Underwriting job (I have no P&C experience, but i have 3.5 years of Flood Underwrting experience and I want to move into another industry) or a job were I can work from home.... any leads?????
5. I ate a doughnut today, just one.
6. I have 26 followers!!!!
7. I watched part of a show called Extreme Cheapskates on TLC and they were taping a lady in Kansas City, MO and she went to this store called Dirty Dons..... For those of you that don't know it's a grocery salvage store and they have some other non-food items like Huggie Diapers for cheap!! Like 88% of the food there is expired, some of it is soon to be expired (I'm ok with soon to be). They have refrigerated and frozen items, which I wont do it they are expired and canned goods and dry goods. It is not for the weak and the place is dirty and not very organized. Everything is basically on an opened palate. So the lady purchased pasta sauce that had been expired since 2009 and cheese there and than took her kids to scavenge for salad greens at a local park and she feed the diner to children that she was babysitting. I would not be a happy camper if I found out that my child was eating weeds from a public park, who knows what the city puts on the ground. There was also someone else on there that reused paper towel by washing them and hanging them to dry. I'm all about a bargain, but I'm not going to reuse paper towels!
8. I need motivational ideas to help me work out. I hate working out, but I'm fine once I get started. I'm looking for something to work towards, maybe a 5K or something. Any ideas?
9. I child was being really cute last night. He was behind the couch chasing (crawling) after one of our cats, and he kept saying kiddy and than some long string of baby babble. This went on for 5 minutes or so.
10. I have cramps! Thank you TOM and I may need chocolate.
2. I'm really tired, I should have left my CPAP mask on all night.
3. Bring your kids to work day is going pretty smooth. My 1 year old is at Grandma's like every other work day.
4. I'm looking for a P&C Underwriting job (I have no P&C experience, but i have 3.5 years of Flood Underwrting experience and I want to move into another industry) or a job were I can work from home.... any leads?????
5. I ate a doughnut today, just one.
6. I have 26 followers!!!!
7. I watched part of a show called Extreme Cheapskates on TLC and they were taping a lady in Kansas City, MO and she went to this store called Dirty Dons..... For those of you that don't know it's a grocery salvage store and they have some other non-food items like Huggie Diapers for cheap!! Like 88% of the food there is expired, some of it is soon to be expired (I'm ok with soon to be). They have refrigerated and frozen items, which I wont do it they are expired and canned goods and dry goods. It is not for the weak and the place is dirty and not very organized. Everything is basically on an opened palate. So the lady purchased pasta sauce that had been expired since 2009 and cheese there and than took her kids to scavenge for salad greens at a local park and she feed the diner to children that she was babysitting. I would not be a happy camper if I found out that my child was eating weeds from a public park, who knows what the city puts on the ground. There was also someone else on there that reused paper towel by washing them and hanging them to dry. I'm all about a bargain, but I'm not going to reuse paper towels!
8. I need motivational ideas to help me work out. I hate working out, but I'm fine once I get started. I'm looking for something to work towards, maybe a 5K or something. Any ideas?
9. I child was being really cute last night. He was behind the couch chasing (crawling) after one of our cats, and he kept saying kiddy and than some long string of baby babble. This went on for 5 minutes or so.
10. I have cramps! Thank you TOM and I may need chocolate.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
WTF Wednesday....
My first WTF Wednesday.... from Drazil
This WTF started yesterday... I was informed by another office that I'm in charge of Bring your Kids to Work day in my office and it's tomorrow. They send me a packet of "activities" to copy for the kids that will be here. I email the person back and ask how many people are bringing there kids to work in my office. I was then informed that I'm suppose to know and that I should have sent out the email.... last week! (I must be Physic) So I get a copy of the email that went out to the main office and I send out an email to my office..... and then spend 4 hours answering the same questions. Why are there 2 tome sessions to sign up for if there are no activities? So my kid can only be here for 4 hours? How am I suppose to pick them up/take them home? So since I'm in charge in my office, I just tell them what I was told. Your kids can be here the whole day as long as you are watching them. So they are all going to be here for the whole day. I start to look at the "activity" packets and they are not related to anything that my office does. They are coloring sheets, word finds, mazes, etc, busy work. Why would parents pull their kids out of school to do busy work at the office? So I found some work related themed kid activities online and am trying to find people that would be willing to be interviewed by the kids about their jobs. I want them to learn about what we do, what their parents do at work, and have the opportunity to learn about another job function.
On going Husband WTF...... My husband will not get out of bed in the morning and is always late to work. This is an issue for a few reasons: 1. We car pull. 2. We have to drop our son off at my parents. 3. Traffic.... and 27 miles turns into an hour! 4. A few months ago I moved my start time from 8 am to 8:30 because my husband was making me late.... and than I was early and he was still late (he has to be there at 8 am, now I'm starting to be late again. 5. We need his paycheck.
My husband's boss likes to have a meeting at 8:30 am every day. If my husband is dropping me off at 8:30, he still has to drive 5 miles down the road to get to his office (don't be fooled, it take approx 20 mins to get to his office from mine!), so he is walking in after the meeting. His boss emailed him today and said that he needs to make it to the meetings. So my husband texted me and asked me how I was going to make this happen? Really??? WTF.... maybe I'll push him out of bed!
WTF?? Why am I still hungry?
Monday, April 23, 2012
Green Monster Protein Shake!
 |
| I wasn't driving the car!! |
My Green Monster has per a serving 3/4 cup of milk, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, about a cup of fresh spinach, about a cup of frozen fruit (we use a mix from Sam's that has strawberries, peaches, mango, and pineapple. I also make a Pink Monster version using tart red cherries instead of the mix) and blend it all up. Depending on the fruit and protein, there are about 18g of active carbs and 28g of protein.
You cannot taste the spinach (I promise), it just turns the shake greenish. My picky eater husband even likes it. I find that it's an easy way to get an extra serving of green veggies in. I also feel more alert and energized on the days that I have one of these shakes.
We go through about a pound of fresh spinach a week and I buy it in bulk at Sam's for $3. You can also stick the fresh (already clean and dry) spinach in the freezer and it keeps longer. It also turns into cool little frozen leaves!
Product Review- Quest Protein Bars Chocolate Brownie and Strawberry Cheesecake
I have been looking for a good Chocolate protein bar, but this one isn't going to work out. Ok, the taste isn't too bad, my friend to me that she thought it tasted like a Weight Watchers Brownie that was in the freezer too long. I felt that it was dry and most likely to dry for someone who has Lap Band to eat.
You can kind of tell that it's dry. It's pretty flaky. Really other than needing 20oz of water to help swallow it down it wasn't too bad. I'm giving this on a 4 out of 10 (10 is best), because it's not band friendly.
Strawberry Cheesecake- There are 2 active carbs! 160 cal, and 20g of protein. Unlike the Chocolate Brownie, this one is really moist and it has dried pieces of strawberries and almonds mixed in. It's really good and because it's part of the All Natural line, there is no weird fake strawberry taste. I'm giving this one a 8 of 10 (10 is best) and I'm going to order more of this flavor.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Blog Bullet Style and 5 followers!!
Lots to get off my chest today.
- I got my Quest Protein Bar order in the mail and I have been trying every flavor. I'm going to post my opinion of each bar separately. I did not get a free sample with the "SAMPLE" code, but I did get free shipping, so not too shabby. I did have an issue with one of the bars. I will elaborate more later, but I have to call the company first.
- I picked up my CPAP machine last night. I had the same mask that I liked during my 2nd sleep study. I think I slept better, but I have a cold, so feel like poo warmed over today.
- I stayed home from work today, because I feel icky. It sucks to have to use my PTO because I'm sick and not for my surgery.
- I'm still waiting on all of my evaluations to be sent to the surgery center. I tried to fax a copy of my sleep study to them and I kept getting an error! I ended up calling my case manager and getting an email address.
- The Shrink-E-Dink and the Dietician will not email me copies of my evaluations.... Lame, faxing and mailing are not more secure methods of sending private information.
SO I'm still waiting, but I'm thinking I'mm have my surgery end of June or beginning of July.
I also want to thank all of my followers, all 5 of you!! Your all awesome. I have been reading Steph's blog http://www.dreamsofskinnyhighheels.com/ for the last week from the beginning and I'm almost caught up! I did cheat and look at her most recent blog about the bride who is using a feeding tube to lose weight (gross, just buy the dress the right size to start with).
I have a lot more to talk about, but I'll save it for later.
I have a lot more to talk about, but I'll save it for later.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Last Visit to the Dietitian
I had my last visit with the Dietitian yesterday. I have lost 3lbs since I first saw her a month ago. I told her that I just switched my birth control this week to a different type and have been feeling a little bloated. Also I have been hungry. Not head hungry, hungry, hungry. I've been testing myself to make sure that I'm really hungry. When I feel hungry, I eat a small snack like celery sticks and a serving of Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese. I eat really slowly and than I wait twenty minutes to determine if I'm still hungry. Most of the time I"m still hungry. Anyway, she suggested that take 400 mcg of Chromium 2 times a day, one with breakfast and the other with dinner and that is supposed to help with the hunger and carb cravings. So I'll pick some up tomorrow and see what happens.
So now I'm waiting on the Shrink-E-Dink's report and the Dietitian's report to be completed and faxed over to the surgery center. I was told a few days on one and a week and a half on the other. I'm still waiting for a call form my PCP's office so I can get a copy of the packet that the sent the surgery center (just in case).
So now I'm waiting on the Shrink-E-Dink's report and the Dietitian's report to be completed and faxed over to the surgery center. I was told a few days on one and a week and a half on the other. I'm still waiting for a call form my PCP's office so I can get a copy of the packet that the sent the surgery center (just in case).
Product Review- Pure Protein Chewy Chocolate Chip
I really like the Pure Protein Plus Vanilla drink mix (you can only find it a Sam's), so I thought that there bars might be as good as their drink.
Pure Protein Chewy Chocolate Chip - there is a layer of chocolate over the Chocolate Chip bar. Both the texture and taste of the Chocolate Chip filling reminds me of eating raw cookie dough. Yummy!! On a 1-10 scale with 10 being the best, it's a 9. There was no bitter after taste, no chalky flavor.... just Chocolate Chip goodness.
200 Calories, 20g of Protein, and about 11g of countable Carbs. I feel that the Carb count is still on the high side, but better than some of the options out there and you can find coupons and sales to bring the price down on these.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Cheater, Cheater, Pizza Eater
Yep, I ate pizza, 3 slices. I actually feel better. I had the horrible headache and I was super irritable. Maybe I have been going through carb withdrawals. Don't know. I'm so ready to have some extra help controlling my hunger. Anyway, I'm not scrapping my diet, I just needed a moment, a carb moment.
Sick Child and Low Carb Diets
This week my 1 year old has been sick. He ran a fever between 101-104.5 from Monday to Friday and the Dr told us it was just a virus and there really wasn't anything that he could do. Aside from having a high fever, his eyelids were swollen and he was clingy, but he was still playful. On Friday the fever broke and it was replaced by a rash. My child has Roseola and it was contagious when he had the fever. Since I didn't have it when I was little I could get it, but we wont know until next week. Ugggh!
This week I have been following the Dietician's "low carb diet." I'm to have no more than 30g of carb each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 15g for 2 snacks, that's a total of 120g. I have been keeping a journal and have been eating between 60g and 105g a day and I'm hungry. I need to be able to eat more smaller meals throughout the day. Now my husband has been doing the same diet and not eating as much as me and he's not hungry. He also lost 8lbs in 3 days, I only lost 3lbs in 3 days. Did I mention, he cheated 2 times this week!
I also meet with the Shrink-E-Dink this week. This was not too eventful, I'm not crazy or depressed (yeah!). He said he would have my report done in a week in a half.
Still to do.....
Last meeting with the Dietician tomorrow!!!! So within 2 weeks everything should be sent off to my insurance.
On a side note, I was reading Poke Me with a Fork Im Done's blog and she was going to go to Dr Malley for the surgery too and than decided that she didn't like feeling like she was part of a cattle call. So, she decided to go to a different surgeon. I kind of felt like I was part of a cattle call when I had my consultation and I've been having trouble getting the insurance person that is handling my case to call me back. My father had his lap band done with Dr Malley and he didn't seem to have any issues. Ugggh, again!
This week I have been following the Dietician's "low carb diet." I'm to have no more than 30g of carb each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 15g for 2 snacks, that's a total of 120g. I have been keeping a journal and have been eating between 60g and 105g a day and I'm hungry. I need to be able to eat more smaller meals throughout the day. Now my husband has been doing the same diet and not eating as much as me and he's not hungry. He also lost 8lbs in 3 days, I only lost 3lbs in 3 days. Did I mention, he cheated 2 times this week!
I also meet with the Shrink-E-Dink this week. This was not too eventful, I'm not crazy or depressed (yeah!). He said he would have my report done in a week in a half.
Still to do.....
Last meeting with the Dietician tomorrow!!!! So within 2 weeks everything should be sent off to my insurance.
On a side note, I was reading Poke Me with a Fork Im Done's blog and she was going to go to Dr Malley for the surgery too and than decided that she didn't like feeling like she was part of a cattle call. So, she decided to go to a different surgeon. I kind of felt like I was part of a cattle call when I had my consultation and I've been having trouble getting the insurance person that is handling my case to call me back. My father had his lap band done with Dr Malley and he didn't seem to have any issues. Ugggh, again!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Product Review- Quest Protein Bars Coconut Cashew and Vanilla Almond Crunch
I have seen a lot of WLS peeps blog about Quest Protein Bars and now it's my turn. I first read about them on Shelly's blog The World According to Eggface and then I went to their website Quest Nutrition and learned that there are a few stores that sell them Vitamin Shoppe and certain GNC stores. I found 2 flavors to try at the Vitamin Shoppe Coconut Cashew and Vanilla Almond Crunch by my work and the cashier said that they only carry 4 of the flavors and cannot keep them on the shelves. He wanted to know why they were soooo popular. I told him that I had read about them on a few blogs and they are suppose to taste very good and they have 20g of protein and only 4-6g of non-fiber carbs! They had only 1 of the Coconut Cashew and 4 of the Vanilla Almond Crunch left.
Coconut Cashew
This bar gets an 7.5 out of 10 from me. I thought is tasted like a coconut macaroon with crunchy pieces of cashews. The texture is kind of like cookies dough. There are 2 active carbs! 20g of protein and 170 calories.
Vanilla Almond Crunch
My Husband and I both tried this one several times and we both give it a 6 out of ten. The texture is also like cookie dough and there are crunchy pieces of almonds in it. It's just ok. The vanilla part is a little sweeter than I prefer, but not chalky like some protein items. There are 4 active carbs, 20 grams of protein, and 200 calories.
I have placed an order on Quest's website to get a variety box and some singles to try. The single bars are $2.39 a piece (they were $2.49 + tax at the store) and $24 for a box of 12. Right now there is a coupon code that will give you free shipping and a sample bar. Just use SAMPLE in the coupon code box at the end of your transaction.
Coconut Cashew
My Husband and I both tried this one several times and we both give it a 6 out of ten. The texture is also like cookie dough and there are crunchy pieces of almonds in it. It's just ok. The vanilla part is a little sweeter than I prefer, but not chalky like some protein items. There are 4 active carbs, 20 grams of protein, and 200 calories.
I have placed an order on Quest's website to get a variety box and some singles to try. The single bars are $2.39 a piece (they were $2.49 + tax at the store) and $24 for a box of 12. Right now there is a coupon code that will give you free shipping and a sample bar. Just use SAMPLE in the coupon code box at the end of your transaction.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Product Review- Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame
These were soooooo good! Edamame is a soy bean picked at the peak of ripening and it is considered a green vegetable. I bought a GoPicnic box from Hyvee and these were in it! They taste like a cross between a peanut and a sunflower seed, but they have the crunchiness of a peanut.
Go to Seapoint Farms website to locate a store near you!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Sleep Study #2 and Followers!!!
Friday- I had my last appointment with my PCP. It went well. I have been holding study at 272. My blood pressure has come down a bit, but I'm still borderline high.
Saturday- I had the 2nd part of my sleep study for my Sleep Apnea. This is when they determine what pressure the machine should be on. I was able to breathe through my nose this time (I couldn't breathe through my nose last time, because I was congested). I found a cool gel nose mask that I barely noticed on my face. The only issue I had was my nose was hot, so I was hot. Turns out it's a setting on the humidifier on the machine and the tech was able to turn it off for me. Now I wait for the machine to be ordered. It kind of seems silly, because in a few months I may have lost enough weight to not need the machine.
The sleep study was done in the Marriott, so we had access to the pool and my husband and 1 year old son got to play in the pool. I didn't swim (my TOM), but I sat on the side and dipped my legs in and took care of my son when he was done being pulled around in the pool.
Today, I noticed that I had 2 followers and comments!!! I'm so excited!!! I haven't told anyone that I have a blog, so it's nice to know that someone has found my blog and read it!
Still to do.....
See the Shrink-e-dink and the last visit to the Dietician.
Post product reviews.... with photos!
Saturday- I had the 2nd part of my sleep study for my Sleep Apnea. This is when they determine what pressure the machine should be on. I was able to breathe through my nose this time (I couldn't breathe through my nose last time, because I was congested). I found a cool gel nose mask that I barely noticed on my face. The only issue I had was my nose was hot, so I was hot. Turns out it's a setting on the humidifier on the machine and the tech was able to turn it off for me. Now I wait for the machine to be ordered. It kind of seems silly, because in a few months I may have lost enough weight to not need the machine.
The sleep study was done in the Marriott, so we had access to the pool and my husband and 1 year old son got to play in the pool. I didn't swim (my TOM), but I sat on the side and dipped my legs in and took care of my son when he was done being pulled around in the pool.
Today, I noticed that I had 2 followers and comments!!! I'm so excited!!! I haven't told anyone that I have a blog, so it's nice to know that someone has found my blog and read it!
Still to do.....
See the Shrink-e-dink and the last visit to the Dietician.
Post product reviews.... with photos!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
My favorite blogs.
I have been researching creative ways to keep my protein up and not get board with my food choices and I came across a blog called The World According to Eggface Click Here. Shelly the blogger had Gastric Bypass in 2006 and she is so creative with food. I love that she has ideas on making protein ice cream and she shows you what she is eating. I'm not having Gastric Bypass surgery, but the principles are the same, protein first.
I also love Lap Band Gal's blog Click Here. Lap Band Gal had, can you guess? Lap Band surgery in 2009. She went from a size 24 to a size 6! I find her very motivating, because she always seems to be working out. I really hate working out! I know that I need to do it and she motivates me.
What's your favorite blog?
Coffee, coffee, coffee
I was having a cup of coffee at work and I reached into my desk drawer to get my hazelnut powered creamer and I flip over the bottle and see that there is a lot of carbs per a serving (I don't measure I just pour). I know that I'm going to have to find an alternative way to drink my coffee. I did find some good ideas, like heavy whipping cream and sugar free syrups. Than I go to the Starbucks website and look up the carbs in my favorite drink, non-fat cafe mocha, yeah that number is like 44 grams of carbs and I don't like the taste of the skinny mocha. I might just be saving my money on coffee. Anyone else have this issue?
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Things That I have Learned This Week
So, I have learned a few interesting things over the last few weeks.
I have my finial visit with my PCP this week, the appointment with the hard to get a hold of physicist April 4th, and the last visit with the dietician on April 9th. Hopefully I'll get my approval by mid April and have my surgery by the end of May.
- People with Lap Band shouldn't swallow gum. Not that I make a habit of swallowing gum, but it's interesting to learn that gum could block the band. Does this mean that other things the same stick, chewy texture like taffy cause the same problem?
- It is incredibly hard to make an appointment with a physicist. I have been playing phone tag with one for almost two weeks and finally I got my appointment made for April 4th. I need a psychiatric evaluation for my insurance to get approved for my Lap Band.
- It is really stressful throwing birthday parties for 1 year olds. My little boy turned 1 over the weekend and I had a little tiny melt down an hour before the party started. It ended up being fine and everyone had a blast.
I have my finial visit with my PCP this week, the appointment with the hard to get a hold of physicist April 4th, and the last visit with the dietician on April 9th. Hopefully I'll get my approval by mid April and have my surgery by the end of May.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The Dietician
I went to the Dietician this week. For some reason I was surprised that she was really skinny and really blonde. A few minutes into our hour long session we were down to business. She wants to see me again in a month. She said in her experience, the insurance company wants to see that you can follow a diet. She gave me a low carb diet plan where I'm to have no more than 30 grams of carbs each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and 2 snacks with no more than 15 grams of carbs. There are lots of vegetables and lean meat that count a zero carbs and I can have as much of them as I want. I only have to turn in a food journal for the week before my 2nd appointment with her.
So far I haven't totaled up the carbs on my meals at all. I find counting calories, carbs, fat, makes me a bit compulsive. For the last six months I have been making an effort to eat healthier, bring my lunch to work, and get in my morning protein shake. I'm finding somethings hard to keep up, for instance exercise. I'm better at squeezing in a walk around the lake behind my office, than trying to do it before or after work. I have been really struggling with exhaustion do to the apnea and even a walk around the lake seems like too much.
I'm going to try to blog several times a week to help keep myself focused on my 125lb goal. I have found a few really good blogs about weight loss surgery (WLS) that I read on a daily bases and I'll share those with you (I'm not sure anyone is out there reading my blog) soon.
So far I haven't totaled up the carbs on my meals at all. I find counting calories, carbs, fat, makes me a bit compulsive. For the last six months I have been making an effort to eat healthier, bring my lunch to work, and get in my morning protein shake. I'm finding somethings hard to keep up, for instance exercise. I'm better at squeezing in a walk around the lake behind my office, than trying to do it before or after work. I have been really struggling with exhaustion do to the apnea and even a walk around the lake seems like too much.
I'm going to try to blog several times a week to help keep myself focused on my 125lb goal. I have found a few really good blogs about weight loss surgery (WLS) that I read on a daily bases and I'll share those with you (I'm not sure anyone is out there reading my blog) soon.
Friday, March 2, 2012
First Blog
Welcome to my blog. I'm Jane and I have been working toward getting insurance approval for Lap Band surgery for the last 6 months. I'm 31 and married with a 11 month old baby. I have a full time job and spend about 10 hours a week commuting to and from work.
Today was my 6th out of 7 visits with my primary care (PCP) doctor. I have 1 more visit with my (PCP), a visit with a dietician, and a visit with a psychologist to go before I can get insurance approval for my Lap Band surgery. I have been battling with being over weight for a very long time. I'm currently at my heaviest at 273 (weighed less when I was pregnant), the lightest that I have been in my adult life is 158. I haven't had really any health problems, but recently I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and now my Dr thinks that my blood pressure is high. I have have been over whelming tired for months now due to the Sleep Apnea and I still have to have a second sleep study before I will get a CPAP or BiPAP machine. Even after I get my machine it will probably still be months before I feel rested.
The Sleep Apnea has been reeking havoc on my life. I feel like a zombie. I have been have trouble remembering things and that has been causing issues at work and at home. Everyone told me that I was just tired because of the baby, but he has been sleeping through the night for months. I have also been suffering from chronic sinus infections for the last 2 years. So, in a last ditch effort to be able to breathe out of my nose regularly, I asked my PCP to send me to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Dr. At my first appointment with the ENT Dr he sent me to get a sleep study and a CT scan of my sinuses. I have seen my PCP once a month for the last six months and I have seen my Allergist 2 times in the last 6 months. The ENT ordered the Sleep Study right off the bat, it drives me crazy that I had to suggest going to the ENT to get tests that any Dr could have ordered. On a side note, the ENT doesn't think that I have anything to fix surgically that will help me be able to breathe out of my nose, because my biggest issue is congestion. I have since gone back to the Allergist and I have to get a blood test, but he did prescribe an Allergy med that seems to be working better with the nose spray that I have been taking. Anyway the breathing issue will be a big factor in me being able to wear the CPAP mask.
Things that I'm looking forward too... when I loss the weight (approximately 125 lbs).
1. Buying normal bras. I'm a 42B, yep this woman doesn't gain weight in her boobs.
2. Smaller feet. Before the baby I was wearing size 11 (not wide) after the baby the size has gone to an 11 wide/12.
3. Not shopping at Lane Bryant. I hate buying poorly made clothes that are over priced. Every pair of slacks that I have bought at LB I have had to fix the hem on them the first time that I wore them. Anything with a button, pants, coats, shirts, I have had to sew the buttons back on within the first few times of wearing the item. How hard is it to sew on a button?
4. Movie seats. Are not comfortable any more, even with the armrest up between me and my husband.
5. Bye, bye, double chin.
6. Buying cute clothes.
I'm sure there are more perks, but it's late and I'm headed to bed.
Today was my 6th out of 7 visits with my primary care (PCP) doctor. I have 1 more visit with my (PCP), a visit with a dietician, and a visit with a psychologist to go before I can get insurance approval for my Lap Band surgery. I have been battling with being over weight for a very long time. I'm currently at my heaviest at 273 (weighed less when I was pregnant), the lightest that I have been in my adult life is 158. I haven't had really any health problems, but recently I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and now my Dr thinks that my blood pressure is high. I have have been over whelming tired for months now due to the Sleep Apnea and I still have to have a second sleep study before I will get a CPAP or BiPAP machine. Even after I get my machine it will probably still be months before I feel rested.
The Sleep Apnea has been reeking havoc on my life. I feel like a zombie. I have been have trouble remembering things and that has been causing issues at work and at home. Everyone told me that I was just tired because of the baby, but he has been sleeping through the night for months. I have also been suffering from chronic sinus infections for the last 2 years. So, in a last ditch effort to be able to breathe out of my nose regularly, I asked my PCP to send me to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Dr. At my first appointment with the ENT Dr he sent me to get a sleep study and a CT scan of my sinuses. I have seen my PCP once a month for the last six months and I have seen my Allergist 2 times in the last 6 months. The ENT ordered the Sleep Study right off the bat, it drives me crazy that I had to suggest going to the ENT to get tests that any Dr could have ordered. On a side note, the ENT doesn't think that I have anything to fix surgically that will help me be able to breathe out of my nose, because my biggest issue is congestion. I have since gone back to the Allergist and I have to get a blood test, but he did prescribe an Allergy med that seems to be working better with the nose spray that I have been taking. Anyway the breathing issue will be a big factor in me being able to wear the CPAP mask.
Things that I'm looking forward too... when I loss the weight (approximately 125 lbs).
1. Buying normal bras. I'm a 42B, yep this woman doesn't gain weight in her boobs.
2. Smaller feet. Before the baby I was wearing size 11 (not wide) after the baby the size has gone to an 11 wide/12.
3. Not shopping at Lane Bryant. I hate buying poorly made clothes that are over priced. Every pair of slacks that I have bought at LB I have had to fix the hem on them the first time that I wore them. Anything with a button, pants, coats, shirts, I have had to sew the buttons back on within the first few times of wearing the item. How hard is it to sew on a button?
4. Movie seats. Are not comfortable any more, even with the armrest up between me and my husband.
5. Bye, bye, double chin.
6. Buying cute clothes.
I'm sure there are more perks, but it's late and I'm headed to bed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)