Leaderboard

Today is 3 months post sleeve. I was in the surgeon's office yesterday to check in .......40 pounds down from pre-op weight. I quit weighing at home. It was too damned stressful and just not good for me. I knew my weight was at the lowest it has been in the past 13 years because my clothes look really pitiful on me. In fact, I'd gone shopping to the local outlet mall over the weekend to buy some pants because I'd seen some photographs taken recently and refused to put those pants back on.......they were too baggy!! And I knew my weight was down because when I look in the mirror, I'm beginning to resemble something that got left out in the sun too long!! Time to go to the gym! Which leads me to this funny story...... So, after the surgeon check in, I head off to my local Curves to sign up. I like Curves. It is good for a beginner. I'm a beginner.......again......I'm an experienced beginner. The lady checking me in does her questionnaire....."Have you lost or gained weight recently?" I smile, "Yes, I've lost 40 pounds in the past 3 months." Her eyes get big, "Really, how?" "I had a gastric sleeve procedure"......she looks confused....I clarify "I had weight loss surgery." Ding Ding Ding......she gets it! So along with the measurements, weight, etc........then she asks, "What do you want to gain from this?" I answer "I don't want to look like a record that's been left in the sun too long?"......She laughs, but I didn't give the answer she was looking for, so she tries again, "Ok, what else are you hoping to accomplish?"........I answer "Well, my 2 month old grandson weighs 15 pounds and I need more muscle to bounce that kid to sleep.".......another chuckle, but not the answer she was looking for..........she tries AGAIN "What do you want for yourself from the exercise program?".........my answer "Well, you see, I need to create a muscular core so when the plastic surgeon goes to reconstruct my abdomen, he'll have something to work with." I'm laughing my fat butt off, and she's chuckling, but I'm still failing the Curves admission test...........finally she just asks the question "Do you want to lose more weight?" Then I do bust a gut laughing.......... "Of course I do, ma'am........that's why I had the surgery 3 months ago. I'm gonna keep losing weight, regardless of whether I work out here or not. I want to work out so that I look GOOD and FIRM as the weight comes off.........not sick and saggy."

Today I had kind of a large supper -- by recent standards -- of salad and fish. I've been reading about salad being disagreeable after WLS, so I wanted to eat it while I still could. Seemed so slow while I've been waiting for my surgery; now, seems it's approaching quickly. Today is Thurs. I'll start liquids Sunday; fly to Tijuana Tuesday; have the surgery Weds. A week from now, I'll have my sleeve. Excited. Scared. We bought a lawn mower so I've been mowing for exercise. It's funny, I feel so tired just walking around; but when I'm doing something, I don't feel as fatigued.

Weighed myself this morning. Down 7 pounds. 264. Out of the 270's again. Have completed first week (plus 2 days) of 1 protein shake, plus 2 low carb meals per day. I feel pretty good. Day three I had major headache from carb withdrawl, but I definitely knew what to do. I am so focused. I am keeping up the diet until after I come back from vacation and can schedule my surgery date on 10/09. I only have a 7 day pre-op diet, so I am hoping to have my surgery the last 2 weeks in October. I have already made arrangements with my work and that time would fit perfectly into my schedule. I ordered my liquid and chewable vitamins, have my protein powders already, and have my grocery list ready and waiting for my post-op diet. I am actually having my surgery at the hospital I work at (it has a bariatric center of excellence) so I feel like I am extremely blessed. Plus it helps that my boss and co-workers are all so so supportive of my decision.

At my last visit with the surgeon he told me "well, no more appointments; finish up with the psych eval and then we'll submit to the insurance and get you a date." So, I went to the psych (as previously posted). I hand delivered my psych eval to the office and the scheduler told me, "we'll submit everything and call you when the insurance gets back to us." I called the insurance co at the end of that week and they had already approved me!! (doc didn't tell me...I had to tell them). So, lo and behold, they gave me an appointment!!!! What? well, I had to go in to talk to the scheduler and get my date. Another $30. My upper endoscopy will be 10/18, pre admission testing 10/19, meet with the surgeon to go over all of the testing 10/25 (another $30 what happened to no more visits?) and surgery 10/29!!! yay! In that time I also have to see my PCP ($20) and pulmonologist ($30) for clearance. Then my 2 week liquid diet. It seems like there's so much more to do. oh AND there's a pre-op surgery class that meets at 1:30pm on a Thursday, lasts for hours and requires you to read an 80 page notebook so that you can take a test! (Another day off work just to be tortured). With all these appointments and time off work, I'm gonna end up in the poor house. So much for new skinny clothes. I won't be able to afford them. LOL

I am 3 months post surgery today. I get hungry, about every 4 hours, but that is a good thing for me. Otherwise, I'd forget to eat and that doesn't help anybody! The cool thing is I can eat a small amount, like 4 Chick-fil-et nuggets, and call it a meal. Then I'm good for another 4 hours or so. The other night, the hubby and I had gone out to a local bar, danced our toes off, and were headed home about 1:30am. I was STARVING!! I told him he had to take me to get something, cause there was no way I could go to sleep.....my belly button was chewing on my back bone!!! 1 pinto/cheese from Taco Bell later (well, most of the 4 oz cup) and I was full as a tick on a fat dog and fast asleep.....and the hubby thinks it is great that I'm such a cheap date! LOVE my SLEEVE!

I didn't lose anything on 6month pre-op medically monitored weight loss I actually gained weight. I would definitely encourage you to get out or at least contact friends you need people. Isolation is deadly. If you read books I would recommend "Women food and God" by Geneen Roth it really helped me. Good luck.

You are doing great. Me as a pre-oper would be sooooooooooooo happy to be under 200 lbs. I haven't seen that in over 40 years. And to be able to exercise and even walk a long way would be a great thing for me. You just keep on doing what you are doing and move move move. You will be just fine.