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Surgery was July22, 2013; recovery time four weeks. No major problem other than morphine is not my friend. The weight is coming off at a rate I can enjoy. Any faster and I'd have to go to work in a sack. Lol the slow weight loss allows me to purchase a few new clothes. All of my 22-20 size pants don't fit and I can assume my skirts won't either. I don't get upset if the scale does not move. I just look in the mirror and can see the difference in the inches I've lost. Best advise, follow the program outlined by your doctor, go to all follow up appointments, ask when and how often you will need blood work done. Continue to get your fluids in everyday. Take your vitamins and supplements, they are very important. Eat protein first. When you are unsure, ask your doctor. We are all different so the way your doctor may have trained and performed the procedure will be different and the instructions you follow will be different from someone else. That does not make it wrong, just different. Join a support group that is up lifting, I don't stay on this one much any more due to some bad vibes of folks and I've had to block them. I do check in from time to time because there are good people asking great questions and need help. Have more than one support outlet. Lastly don't judge. How and why we became over weight is personal. How we opt to lose the weight is personal. When you start to judge, please stand in front of the mirror to ensure you include yourself in the mix. If anything play it forward, be a good mentor and friend. There are some out there that will truly benefit from it. Stay true to the journey. Karen

The problem with a stall is not just the lack of weight loss at a time you expect the weight to be peeling off–although that would be bad enough. The problem with a stall is that it comes with baggage. All those times when you thought you’d found the “perfect” diet. All those times when there were hundreds of others boasting of their success with something that you were now trying. All those times that you were filled with hope that THIS was the thing that was going to work. All those times that you failed. We’ve been stuck at the same weight for 11 days, and it’s very difficult to focus on the now, instead of trying to think of what this means for the future. If I focus on the now, it tells me that my body is changing, my clothes fit differently, and even at 25 lbs, people see and comment on the difference all the time. If I try to project for the future and imagine that this is the way it will always be, then I focus on the fact that this could be another thing at which others have succeeded, but at which I seem doomed to fail. Which of us has not believed, both before and after the surgery, that we would be the ones who would be the exception to the rule? That we would be that medical marvel that simply could not lose the weight despite doing everything we were told? That we would be that singular failure while others around us kept posting their amazing before and after pictures? And that’s the problem with a stall. Even knowing what we do, that every day is a different adventure when sleeved, that recovery, weight loss, and changes happen seemingly overnight, we still believe that this is the time, and we are the one that will fail. A very egocentric world-view if truth be told, but justifiable given our histories. So if you thought this journey was just about eating your protein and drinking your water and not challenging your sleeve, I’ve got news for you my friend. It’s about battling your inner demons, about having faith in the unknown, and about believing that we are not that special after all. And in that normalcy and mediocrity is perhaps where salvation lies. (Follow my journey and my recipes at www.sleevers.wordpress.com)

I am shocked to learn my insurance approved the surgery. Now at 52 I am so excited to start my journey. Not sure of date yet. I just wanted to thank everybody for all the great information and confidence to do this.

Made Sourdough Waffles for the family this morning, they were so light and smelled so good that I knew with enough butter and syrup they would be a slider food for sure. two small bites later and NOPE. Fed the sewage system and will have a shake before Church.

My story, wow that's a broad statement. For the most part pretty normal. Great family, great childhood, normal height weight proportion up until the day I got married. Had two kids before I was 22 and everything went south from there. Started to gain a pound or two here and there and the next thing you know 100 pounds later..... Well, you all get the picture. From then on it was one diet after another. Oh I lost a ton of weight but I also gained a ton back. I had a loving husband who loved me for me and a family of the same but the funny thing was I didn't love me. Was my family enablers? Yes but only in a loving concerned way. Funny thing was I have 4 siblings all of whom had no weight issues along with my parents. Why was I the lucky one or should I say unlucky. Oh and did I mention I am 100% Italian? So let's fast forward a few years because this could get long remember I started gaining the weight around the age of 22 I am now 53. 2012 was the darkest year of my life. My youngest son, my baby (although he was 29) passed away from an industrial accident. He was a commercial diver working a job in the Gulf of Mexico when on a normal routine dive something went tragically wrong. To hear those words that your son was in a fatal accident will always stab me like a knife and to this day I don't like to repeat them. But I did because it is an important part of why I am going through this journey today. The first year after Brad's death was actually the only time I never focused on weight, weight loss or anything even remotely pertaining to weight. After all I lost my son what else mattered? Except for the fact that I still had a husband, another son, a granddaughter and my loving family all,of whom tried to reach out to me. And as the grief got worse the weight did too. Remember I told you a while back I was 100% Italian well anyone who knows what that means knows that our families mean everything especially our children. I did take the advice of my doctor and joined a grief group. Thank God for that because the people I met made me feel I wasn't going through this alone and the more we became bonded through our grief the more I felt the fog start to lift. It saved my life because the tunnel I was going down just kept getting darker but after I joined this wonderful group of lifetime friends I was starting to see the light at the end of that tunnel as the cliche says. So I don't remember gaining the next 50 pounds (ha ha) but now I was 150 lbs overweight. 165 pounds heavier than the day I said "I do". Although my husband, god bless him, still thought I was the bees knees. Ok time to get back on the diet go round. However this time I didn't have the energy. While watching my favorite soap opera "young and the restless" one day a commercial came on talking about an less invasive procedure called the Lapsleeve that could be performed on an out patient basis. Out came the laptop and the inquires were made. My grief counselor made me promise though I would wait a year just to make sure my emotional well being was healed. I took her advise but didn't wait to long past the one year mark to make my first appt. Puget Sound Surgical Center in Edmonds, WA was my choice. The minute I met the staff and Dr Billing I knew this was the place for me. Well weighing in at a whopping 301 I figured it wasn't the worst they ever saw. After blood draws, nutrition classes, psych evaluations I was finally approved. June 27 was the day. The two week pre op diet I stuck to like glue. However the day before I was to start it I chowed down on every favorite thing I could get my hands on. Something by the way they highly do not recommend. June 27, very nervous, very typical but the staff and dr's put me fast at ease. Surgery went well and was very surprised how well I felt those first 48 hrs. Unfortunately, that didn't last long.

Well, first of all, I can't believe it's been 4 months already. I'm really loving my sleeve. I'm down -41 lbs. since pre-op diet. Went from size 16 to very loose size 12 pants. Have already cleaned out my closet once, but soon I'll have to get rid of the 12's too. So happy about that. Also, went from XL shirts to M. Lessons learned ... I don't have a great metabolism. I have to exercise (and do so about 3 times a week) and watch my carbs to lose weight, and even then it's pretty slow progress. As soon as I just watch calories, I don't lose. I don't gain either, which I'll keep in mind for maintenance phase. I can eat just about anything, so I really have to chose to eat the right things. Only things that give me a little trouble if I eat too fast and don't chew enough are: salmon, thick cuts of beef, dense bread. I don't eat bread anymore, but I did try it once or twice. I also have to space out my supplements. If I take too many at a time, I get the slimees. I have about 29 lbs. to go for my initial goal of 140. I will reevaluate how I feel/look at that time, and may lower my weight goal... who knows. I would highly recommend that all new sleeves look at this surgery as an opportunity to start over and live a healthy lifestyle. If we were to keep our old ways, the results might not be as permanent as you think. Sure, you will lose a whole bunch at first because you just can't consume as much as before... but, even amount of food you can consume will change. It's those permanent (and healthy) changes that will help us get to goal and stay there. I don't know.. just my thoughts. Not lecturing or anything... really just self-reflecting. I really don't want to ever be in the morbidly obese or obese range again. I already feel so much better physically and mentally, and still have a ways to go.

I look at my band like the frame work of a house and it is up to me to do the interior decorating. I make the final decision how much to eat, what to eat and if it is good or not good for me. You want your real home to look good and spend time and money to fix it up, paint and buy new things when needed so why would you not take the same amount of time, money and energy to make your band work for you. I am a sugar addict and can not control myself when I eat even a minute amount it causes me to binge like crazy, leaves me with guilt and unforgiveness of my self. Since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia those old feelings of eating sweets have come back ten fold for self pity. Ice cream has always been my worst nightmare and seriously I could eat a half gallon in two days. I am serious. I found that Breyers makes many light flavors now and no added sugar that are really good and I had to have something. I guess its better then eating 10 pounds of chocolate which I used to do also. Choose your band decorations well. Once you start eating good healthy food you will feel 100 percent better. Some say its expensive to eat healthy but it really isn't. Take advantage of road side produce stands or produce markets for fresh vegetables and fruit. People do not believe when I tell them that you will lose more weight eating beef but it is true because beef out of all meat takes the longest to digest. Some of you have issues with certain meats but I can pretty much eat anything it depends on how I eat it if its going to get stuck or not. You always must put the fork down in between bites and make sure it goes down before attempting more food. Get your band house together and decorate it with love and good food.

So it has been 6 weeks and 6 days since surgery! I have lost a total of 35 pounds since surgery! Pretty impressive and I am 3 pounds from my first mini goal of 220. It has been over 8 years since I have weighed that and I was 13 weeks pregnant with my first child. It was my first weigh in and pre natal Dr. appt. and I was SHOCKED I weighed that much! Now I am so excited to see that number! Talk about perspective! I remember crying the whole way home! Now those tears will be joy! Well on to the NOW! The things that I am dealing with as I am more healed and eating "normal"... I am losing and I get to the point of feeling "normal" and dare I say comfortable. Then I get on here read something and get all paranoid and start 2nd guessing myself. I know that we are all different in how we lose weight, how we got to the point of choosing surgery, and how we will lose with surgery. The common thread here is we are all/were obese and we all had sleeve surgery. I have been not getting on this site and fining my own way. I want to continue to document my feelings but I am at the stage were I need to find a comfortable way to live and still lose the weight. Now, having said that this site has helped me so much! I kind of take the good and the bad and try to filter the crap out. I am not blaming this site for my doubt but ME for letting myself get caught up with this site and not listening to my body and my medical team. Since surgery I have NEVER been told by my NUT or Doctor to eat low carb high protein diet. Aim for 60-80 grams of protein and 64oz of water yes but no limit on carbs. I don't usually have room for more than a bite anyway. They said protein first, veggies/fruit, and then carb. Make good choices and eat a balanced diet. They never said restrict calories to such and such a day, do not eat over 1/4 or whatever cups of food. They said everyone is different and gave me a chart of what their average patient eats after surgery and at what stage. They did talk to me about sliders and how no one even people who haven't had surgery should avoid these foods. I am pretty smart and I know healthy meals from crap so I don't know why I think because I eat a piece of bread one day that I have sabatoged my weight loss and will FAIL! So yes the last few weeks have been plagued with this self doubt! I am working through that! I have had some pretty big losses! The first week I lost 14 pounds! This week I lost 5! But I also have had the dreaded stall! I lost nothing and even gained a pound around week 3 into 4! But it came off and ironically the next day after I ate the evil carb infested multi grain toast for breakfast! go figure. Hunger has come back but it is different. The first month I don't think I was ever really hungry. had some head hunger but nothing more than that. The past couple of weeks I do get hungry but it's not that crazy hungry where I will want to eat a horse! It just a tiny little pang in my tummy and chest. If I don't heed the warning and eat a bite I get shaky and get very run down. These hunger pangs don't happen everyday. Some days I feel like not eating at all. I never get hungry and never really want food. I am making myself eat something on those days. Then some days I feel like my body needs the food and I eat more on those days. Food taste better on those days too! I followed this trend last week. On the days I felt hunger and felt I needed food I lost and days I didn't want food and didn't eat hardly anything I didn't lose. I only usually weigh once a week but it was an experiement last week! It was interesting and taught me what I already knew! My body knows best! So while I am not an expert on weight loss surgery or how to lose the most weight and fast I do know MY body. So this week I am going to listen to it and see how things go. Oh I still like my little piece of chocolate in the evening! I don't eat it every night but I will not ever let myself feel guilty when I do from here on out! This self doubt and guilt crap was before and I will not let it get the best of me now!

I'm starting to feel energized. I'm starting to feel like maybe, just maybe, I can pull this off! I've had a few missteps, I've tested myself, but I haven't completely f'ed this up yet....amazing! I've never stuck to a diet this long with this much determination - 5 months! And this is a new way of life, not just a diet! How is it possible I haven't screwed it up yet? How is it possible I've lost 49 pounds? How is it possible I'm able to check off the goals on my list with regularity and this is all still happening? I'm blown away. I can't believe I'm doing this! I can't believe I've begun to look forward to working out! Me, the lazy, fat girl who loves her couch! Unbelievable!! I'm actually contemplating doing things I never thought I would do, things that scare me, challenge me, push me......and I'm actually starting to believe I can do them.... Here's to four goals down, 1 lb to the fifth goal, and 10 lbs to halfway!!! Lose 20 lbs - complete! Get under 200 lbs - complete! Lose 45 lbs - complete! Get to 190 - complete! Lose 50 lbs Get to 186 Get to 180 Get to 179 (halfway!) Get to 165 Get to 160 Get to 155 Get to 150 Get to 145 Get to 140 Get to 135 Get to 125 Get to 120

Sooo For the past 3 weeks I have been going from 229 - 226 up and down up and down. So what happened 3 weeks ago? Well I started work. So I'm thinking that my stalling of my weight is stress related??? And I have no idea how to begin to fix that. Other than that I have lowered my calories and increased my activity While teaching I move around ALOT Breakfast is ALWAYS yogurt (100-150 calories) Lunch is ALWAYS Tuna ( 200 calories) Snack - Varies Dinner - Varies So I dont know what my body is doing but I can estimate my calories have gone down from 1500/1600 to now 1100/1200. We will see what happens with the scale later. On another note. I am 1 pound away (on some days) to my 40pd mark! 1/2 to my doctors goal and only 2 months out of surgery