Skinny Jeans and other NSVs...

So for my non-WLS'ers NSV is "non-scale victories"... other ways we get to measure the success of our decision to have surgery.... one of mine? Buying skinny jeans!

I can't remember the last time I've been able to go into a normal store and get jeans. Most of my clothing and jeans had to be bought at "the fat girl store" (AKA. Lane Bryant). I dreamed of the day I could go into an Old Navy, pick out a pain of in style and cute jeans, put them on, and walk out.

My day has arrived!!!!!

I'm definitely not the size  I want to end up at... and it was hard to find the largest size they had there. But they did. I almost tried them on as a joke. And you know what? They didn't look that bad! And better yet? They fit! I don't know if I'm ready to wear them out to places where people I know will be out... but I wore them last night for the first time. And it felt really really good :) NSV #1

Another NSV was a really awesome trip to Brown County, a good local spot here in Indiana known for it's outdoors-ness, hiking, horse back riding, etc. Not a place I would choose in the middle of summer to spend my day. But we did and I felt awesome. I actually got on the horse... didn't stand by to just take pictures. I'm loving what my new body allows me to do. NSV #2


In not-so-good news... I'm not looking forward to this upcoming weigh in and picture taking. I have finally hit a stall, my friends, and I'm stuck. I have been tremendously lucky to not hit a stall up to this point (and if I thought I have it was a couple of days stall) but this has been going on for almost 3 weeks now. My body has been through a lot so I'm hoping that it's just coping and healing. We will see.

Until then...

Month 5 Update!

I can't believe another month has past... and what a month it has been. It was literally a roller coaster ride this month of feeling great and absolutely horrible.

Basically, everything went to hell about 1/2 way through this month. There was no warning whatsoever but I ended up going into the hospital twice and then had to have emergency surgery. Oh yes, you read that right. It was just as big of a shock to me. Let me explain:

So remember all the tests they ran on me prior to surgery? (Think:pre-op requirements) They check everything: heart, lungs, blood, urine, gall bladder, etc. Everything obviously came back fine since I was cleared for surgery. I specifically remember my surgeon telling me how she was surprised that my gall bladder looked so healthy for being as heavy as I was... Well, it didn't like the changes I have made to say the least because it caused me hell this month. I came home from the pool after relaxing and swimming all day to start feeling really ill. I ended up in so much pain my husband took me to our local ER who stated after a CT scan that my gall bladder looked "a little inflamed" and they suggested calling my RNY surgeon. So, I did. They scheduled a scan for Friday that week. In the meantime I was suppose to keep a bland diet and go back to the ER if they pain increased.

By Tuesday night I was vomiting because the pain was so severe. I made my husband take me back to the same local ER who ran blood tests. Turns out I was in a fatal levels of liver enzymes and needed emergency surgery to see what was blocking my liver. They transferred me to the hospital I had my RNY at (it's a much bigger and more equipped hospital) and I was on a morphine pump all night while they ran a battery of tests to determine the problem. After a night of tests I was scheduled for surgery the following morning. The diagnoses? A gall stone was blocking the duct to my liver (causing the high enzyme levels) and my gall bladder was grotesquely diseased and infected. My surgeon told my family that she has never seen such an infected gall bladder. She was shocked at how quickly it went bad too. Her only explanation was that my gall bladder "didn't get with the program" when I changed my diet and continued to act as if I was eating all the fat/oils that I use to. It basically overworked itself to death. So after a few more days in the hospital to give my body proper antibiotics and heal I headed back home.

Recovery after this surgery was almost worse than the RNY recovery. *TMI WARNING* Not having a gall bladder is poopy- literally and figuratively. I haven't had a normal bowel movement since surgery. I am having to relearn foods again because now without a gall bladder I'm even more sensitive to oils in foods- natural or not. Luckily I am still very strict about my diet so it hasn't been too big of an adjustment.

One great thing about being so sick is the lack of appetite which means a help in the weight loss department! So without further ado.... my month 5 pictures!!

Oh yeah! That's a total of 82.4 pounds since March 17, 2011!!!!

And now the comparisons.... It's silly to say since it's only been 5 months but I don't even remember that girl in the left anymore :) And that's a good feeling!

Can you tell a difference? I'm happy to say that I can. 

Goals for this month? 

1) Work out more... I was doing so well and then with surgery, recovery, and now waiting for my surgeon appointment so she can clear me I have slacked.

2) Blog more! I love being apart of the WLS community and hope I can keep everyone in the loop more often! 

Love you all :)

Happy Birthday to Less of ME!!!!!

 Happy Birthday... to Less of Me!!

I found it horrifically sad that I couldn't find a picture of me last year to put up a comparison... but I guess that was normal in my old self. I wouldn't dare let myself be in front of the camera- and if I did- I was ultra depressed with the results. Now, I love to look at pictures and think... "wow, is my face really shrinking?!" or "wow, I'm glad I have pictures of me and _____". It's a nice change.

DO NOT WORRY FELLOW WLSers.... the cake was for the pose. I am definitely not eating/attempting/wishing/hoping/tempting any cake. At this point it is hard to keep some fruits down because of the natural sugars and I definitely don't want to upset my pouch over processed sugar crap. 

It's hard to imagine what next years pictures will look like... but I am ready and excited to see them. The more weight I lose the more motivated I am to make changes to my life as a whole. This week? It was bringing less processed, more lean lunches to work. And I felt so much better. Lean chicken, lean fish, fresh veggies and fruit... yum! It makes the thought of eating the bad crap not a thought at all. 

Now if only I could break this stall!! I've been in the 260s FOREVER it feels. Cross your fingers for me that this week we see some pounds shed or I may go crazy. I have been pretty lucky to not have stalls last too long. On OH I read about people who stall for weeks at a time- thank god I'm not there yet. A 5-6 day stall is enough to drive me crazy! 

Until next time friends :).........

Month 4 Updates!

Here we go... a quarter done of my new life! What a journey it continues to be. We just got back from an amazing vacation so it is a nice way to wrap up the summer. Some things that made vacation awesome compared to last year?
1) I sat indian style... on the beach... without it being uncomfortable!
2) I felt way better in my swimsuit than last year
3) The summer is hot (Indiana is in the middle of a heat wave as we speak) and I wasn't 1/2 as uncomfortable as I was last year
4) Swimsuit buying wasn't so bad (see my previous post about that)
5) I was actually in family photos this year!


As the months crawl by I get more and more happy about the decision I made in March to have this surgery. I had my 4 month check up with my doctor and she was happy with my progress. She did switch me to a new antacid medication that she hopes will help my nausea as I am still taking anti-nausea medication daily. We will see. I also switched to B-12 injections instead of the sublingual. I don't know why but those seem to work better for me. 


Without further ado... Weight loss for Month 4?

261 pounds even! That's a total of 70 pounds lost since March 17, 2011!!!

And now the me today versus the old me:

I feel definitely feel like I look more "put together" this month. I think I need to go down a size in my jeans though... I'll try for month 5 and hopefully the effect will be more noticeable! 

Swimsuit... No worries!!

So today was the day... the dreaded day that I needed to buy the swimsuit for our vacation coming up next week. And you know what? It really wasn't so bad!

I really wish I had a picture of me prior to surgery in a swimsuit... Ha, I don't think I was 400 feet around a camera at that time. I am definitely not saying I'm at a place in my mind/body where I will be taking beach pictures this year... but I feel sooooo much better in this bathing suit then I do in the big one from last year.

So, what was the deal maker? I found a great deal on a tankini at Lane Bryant. The top is fit just like a bra so it holds the girls in place (the girls who don't seem to be getting ANY smaller at this point...) and the bottom is just a bikini bottom. I have to take the top in to get altered so the straps are shortened a bit so I'm hoping I feel even better after that's done. And the bottoms? A size 18. They are a little tight, not going to lie, so I'm debating going up a size. My husband says they look fine (isn't he suppose to say that?!) but I'm not 100% convinced yet. :)

I'm looking forward to the idea of not being overly hot and uncomfortable down in Florida. Last year I was miserable- I never wanted to get dressed. I feel like I've lost enough weight that getting dressed won't be such a chore and I won't have to wear a potato sack to make myself feel good about what I look like in my clothes. Those, my friends, are happy thoughts that make me going into my 4th month not completely regret the surgery. Every NSV I have reiterates to me how necessary the hell of the first 2 months were. So pre-opers and newbie post-opers... It will get better. Just maybe not as quickly as you pray, hope, beg for it to!

3 months!!

Wow... I can't believe I am 3 months post-op now. It really feels like much longer. I am so much happier with my decision to have WLS now.... little NSV are really exciting to me. Here's a few I would like to share:

1) Swinging on the swings at the park with my daughter :)
2) Fitting into any booth at a restaurant without worry that I won't fit
3) Wearing underwear that doesn't constantly give me a wedgie (when it's not suppose to, that is!)
4) Having people tell me how good I look
5) Knowing that all of this is just the beginning and so much more will come my way!

So month 3 updates:
1) I'm feeling much much better. I've finally gotten into a routine of how to take all my medications. Nighttime works best for me so I take all my vitamins during the day and my prescriptions at night. I'm on an anti-acid pill for my ulcers, nausea medication, and an anti-depressant which was given to me prior to leaving the hospital. I know if I skip a night or two of medication I will get sick. It's inevitable. I hope I don't have to be on these medications forever but for right now I'm fine taking everything as long as it makes me healthy and not vomit-ty.
2) I need to get better at taking my vitamins. They are SO very important. I've done really good this week with making sure I have got in extra protein and all my calcium. Calcium is my hardest vitamin to get in. I'm also going to be switching from an oral B12 to the shots. No, I haven't done labs yet (yes, that worries me too that my doctor hasn't ordered any and I'm going to force her too next month) but I think it is easier for me personally.
3) Exercise makes me feel good! I just wish I found time to do it more often. With summer activities, vacations, etc. things are getting harder to get a schedule to exercise. I keep telling myself that I've exercised more these last few weeks than probably I did total last year. I can improve and I will!
4) Learning what foods are good with my pouch and what foods aren't has been an adventure to say the least. Watermelon, as wonderful as it sounds, makes me dump. Cantaloupe and me are best friends. I don't do well with eggs but cottage cheese and I get along swell. I have developed a lot of anxiety about eating new foods. I'm so scared to make my pouch mad!
5) My eyes are WAY hungrier than my pouch. I measure out 3-4 ounces, think it is way not enough, and then add more... to only eat 1/2 of the original amount. I'm barely getting 3 ounces a meal in. Liquids I drink in the gallons a day... food just fills me up so fast. I wish my eyes would get on program! Wasting so much food isn't good!

Month 3 weigh in:

Yes, friends, that is a total weight loss of 61.8 pounds since the morning of surgery!

I'm really excited to share my pictures this month! I can see the difference so I'm hoping you can too!

Here we go Month 4! I'm taking my husband's advice and getting a new swimsuit before our beach vacation in less than a month... hopefully my Month 4 pictures will have a bit of a tan! 

Keep safe friends and remember... "nothing tastes as good as skinny healthy feels"!!

Ugh... Swimsuits.

It's that dreaded time of year... Swimsuit season.

I thought this year would be better but it's just not. I still hate the way I look in swimsuits. I keep telling myself "wait, next year will be better" and "you look better than you would have without the surgery"... but it doesn't help.

I've only had to face the world in a swimsuit twice this season already... both at a water park. This summer we are heading to Florida so I know that number will only rise. My husband suggested going out and buying a new swimsuit (one that actually fits right... the old one is way too loose). I'm hoping this helps.

As far as an update on how life is: life is good. I'm getting sick less often and I have found a good routine for taking all my vitamins and medications. It really took almost the whole 3 months before things "clicked" with my mind and body. I still tend to overestimate how much I can eat and then waste a bunch of food... but at least I'm not trying to finish everything and making myself sick. This Friday will be my 3 months mark... I can't wait to show everyone here my progress!