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I am one month out today, and I am so pleased with my sleeve so far. I have really recovered well and so far I have lost 11.2 kgs or 24 lbs I tried on some clothes yesterday so i could work out size-wise what i need to keep and chuck out and was SO pleasantly surprised that I will have to buy new clothes sooner than I thought. I'm still swimming about 6 days a week and I'm really getting in lots of protein, some days I'm even over 100 grams. I have a few issues with BM but have found a helpful laxative tea, I am still a little sore if I try and lift something I shouldn't and getting in water is a bit of a chore. However, my recovery as been so smooth, I really have nothing to worry about. I really think my surgeon Dr Abdulsalman Al Taie did a fantastic job, my incisions have closed up so quickly and my soreness has been extremely minimal- he went in ,cut , stapled and got out with very little trauma to my insides. I am thankful I don't have nausea at all, or acid issues. I think I can safely say I LOVE MY SLEEVE!

Over the weekend, the hubby and I took a little road trip down to Galveston Texas to tour the new Pleasure Pier. If you aren't from our area, let me explain. Galveston has many piers that jut out into the gulf. One had a hotel on it. After Hurricane Ike demolished what was left of the pier and building, the question of what to do with the space came up. So, Galveston put a carnival like space out onto the pier. There are restaurants, a merry go round, roller coaster, log ride etc. as well as all the fun carnival games you remember from childhood. The place just opened this summer and we'd been too busy prior to this past Sunday to go down and look it over. So, we started our afternoon sitting in the bar of the Bubba Gump Shrimp company enjoying some Cajun steamed shrimp, cold Shiner and people watching (my favorite sport). The place was packed, the staff was busy and the people watching was awesome. One customer was getting on the bartender's nerves to the point I was ready to open bets regarding who was gonna win the inevitable brawl (the bartender was a cute little blonde chick, about 100 pounds soaking wet). The brawl was everted by a smart manager who found an open table - far away from the bar- for the obnoxious customer. In any event, I digress. I ended up going to the toilet during our time @ Bubba Gump. Washing my hands afterward, I glanced into the mirror and almost laughed out loud. I was not the biggest chick in the mirror!! No disrespect to the other women in the toilet intended, this blog is after all, all about me and my journey.......but for the first time in a very long time, I was not the biggest chick in the bathroom !!!!. I did contain myself and stifled my laughter (they would have had me hauled out for insanity if I just burst into hysterical laughter after looking in the mirror) but I did giggle all the way down the stairs and back to the bar. Taking my seat on the bar stool by my hubby, he asks what happened in the bathroom.....and I told him. He just shook his head and laughed with me. Again, I am amazed when I think of all the sad, little conditioning that has occurred over my 20+ years of obesity. Until Sunday, I wasn't aware that every time I was in a room, I was scanning to see if I was the fattest chick there........and sad to say, many times I was - the fattest chick in the room. All of the subconscious bull shit I've done to myself over the years continues to simply appall me. And it was so undeserved. I've always said being fat is 1) NOT a character flaw and 2) if that number was my IQ rather than my weight, we'd be excited!!! And I've believed that......but yet, here I was comparing myself to others and beating myself up without even knowing it. Well, the beatings end here!.........let the love-in begin!!!

Well, today was the day. I went to see the pysch, and....................................................HE CLEARED ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so quick. It took me longer to fill out all the paper work then it did to see him. He talked to me for about ten minutes then start printing out papers and was like ok here is your copy to keep for your files, and I will e-mail a copy to your surgeon. Then he was like good luck and have a great day. Talk about someone who walked out there with a chesire cat grin on their face.

Just received my Band Wagon book today. It's pretty informative. I also filled out my history papers for Dr. Swain for my post op care/fills. Seems like the day will never get here! Buddy, my husband, is out west on the motorcycle, the kids are all staying here with me. Been trying to get some sun on my body, tried to go to lake the other day but it rained. So i guess I'll just stay pale. Just trying to pass the time. I'm on this site probably 75% of the day, just trying to find someone who's going to my surgeon on the same day. I even got on verticlesleevetalk.com to try to find someone. Thought I had found someone on there but then I lost her and couldn't find her again. I'm just ready to go and get the rest of my life started. We're going to add a porch/new roof/carport this fall to the house i'm ready to get on with that as soon as my husband and I both get back from our trips... We have alot going on. I start dayshift at my nursing job tomororrow morning. I've gained 30 lbs. since going on nights 8 mo. ago. though dayshift would aid in my wt. loss. It's hard to know when to eat working nights, and I haven't been sleeping enough. Also when all of this is over i'm going to finish nursing school. I have 5 classes to go (online) then clinicals to complete my BSN in nursing. I've been working on it for 10+ years and have to finish it this year. I HAVE to!!! Otherwise alot of money will go down the drain. Not just in wages, but the cost of college will be wasted.Well, I'm "just a waitin!). Gotta go ....

I talk a good game but can I follow my own advice? I have always been told that I give great advice, but I just can't seem to incorporate my advice into my life. Between the selfhelp books, the weightloss books and the devotional books...I thought I would have my life more put together. My kids are healthy, smart and seem to very happy. I monitor thier food, thier homework, thier friends. I am not over protective because I feel they need to fall down so they know how to pick themselves up. We talk about what they eat and teach them to make good food choices, we talk about thier friends and if they are surrounding themselves around positive role models or if they are the role model for those who need positve friends. I took motherhood on as a lifestyle, not a challenge. But, I forgot to take care of mom. They saw the opposite of what I was teaching them in me. My food choices, my education and a few friends that were not healthy for me. I remember introducing a friend of mine to Lowcarb eating. She lost 35lbs so fast and I gained 5. She thanked me for all the recipes and websites to follow. I wanted to crawl under a rock. So now that I have revealed myself, I feel like I have to put up or shut up. So, I am going to post on my blog my daily food intake, my excercise and anything else that comes to mind. It will be easier to post my successes my failures since I don't personally know anyone here. The only person I can dissapoint is myself.

Well it's 5 am and Im just about ready to go...lost that 12th lb with yesterdays liquids! 82 to go! God bless everyone today especially all us August Firsters!!! See you back here soon:-)!!

Today is day 9 of 17--made it past the half-way point of the liquid diet! It's easier than before but still not easy. Hunger is definitely there and I am learning to cope with cravings as they come up. I know that the rest of the time will fly and the big day will come up much more quickly than I ever expected. So looking forward to getting this done and being on the other side of this. And I've lost 12 pounds on the liquid diet, so I can't complain! Still, what I wouldn't do for a grilled cheese sandwich!

So I'm in search for a good protein powder to use. Any suggestions on a good brand with the right nutrients and also a good price? Thanks, Holly

As of yesterday, surgeons office couldn't locate my chart/file...today got email from them stating they located my chart. Dr. Dunshee had it and had discussed my case with his partners. We are awaiting dictation, then we will submit to insurance. They''ll let me know next week when they submit it. So here for the past 2 weeks I thought I was waiting to hear from insurance and they haven't even sent it off yet! So...at the rate they're going, it will probably be another 2 weeks or more before I hear anything.....Grrrrrrrr 9/1/12 Ok had my surgery August 24th in the afternoon, came home the next morning, since then I've been trying to follow my diet & exercise plans and keep from killing anyone...LOL. Today I had my first real NSV (for me anyway) I was able to walk to the end of the street & back without any rest breaks (that's a first!) Total of 8 blocks...1 week out of surgery! I know I couldn't have done that before surgery...cause I tried many times!

I bought a pair of 20's on a whim today and thought I'd just keep them in reserve and try them on every now and then for encouragement. Well...I WAS ENCOURAGED!!! They fit!!! I could NOT believe what I was seeing. My mind still sees 349 pounds, not 285. I'm pretty sure my wedding dress was a 20. I'm going to pull it out soon to see if it fits again. I might wait 10 more pounds for that though.... Wow. I'm still in stunned disbelief!! This is......just....I I I I I...don't have words. I'm giddy!!! :lol: