Pookeyism

Yup! I am going to start drawing pics of me in front of the mirror...much better than film!

I lost my Mom a week after my surgery - I had not told her yet. She was not obese just the opposite - she was so small and frail when I saw her in the casket - but I can't easily discuss that yet. My Husband has been so worried, but he has no plans to leave and i don't plan to let him (ok - so he is going to be in Israel and Cypress for at least a month - but that doesn't count, lol). I did lose friends and I am struggling with the image part. A year from my surgery, wow, I can't imagine that far ahead yet. Wish me luck - and good luck to you! Keep up the good work!

I think the 190 is a good goal. Don't forget to set other, small goals as you go. When you are in Onderland (and I know you will be!) then you can look at your goal and ask yourself if you need to re-adjust). By then this whole "thing" will be easier, and you will see how your body is progressing. You might even find your goal is not a weight, but a condition, or a point of being able to do all those things from when you were 20 - the rest just may be gravy, lol. I was always big - born 24in long, almost 10 months from the day my Mom missed her first period (tells you how late I was). I weighed almost 10 lbs and never looked back. I fought to keep it under control (fight is the literal word - I went through hell - imagine beign hungry for years, just - hungry - for years). Best of our new world to you! Go get it, no matter what size you decide to be.

So excited for you! YEs I agree I bet you are hungry...is popsicles on you OK list? Good luck!

Next time tell your boss you can't eat that and request jason's Deli or something like that instead. I finally had to step up for myself here and make sure they understood that if they all get a say so on food then I am not counted out because I cannot pig out. They kinda forgot I ate at all and was on this "soup/salad/fruit" for Lea thing...

Go get a baby blue or red potato - the whole thing is about 1-2 oz...bake and enjoy! Consider some evoo/sea salt or a small bit of a very strong, sharp, finely grated cheese... I had a friend "blend" the contents of a littel blue with a turnip and some red wine and bake it back in the skin. She loved it.

I don't recall if I did. Why would H Pylori need to be treated first anyway? Tell them to write up an order for your test, and yo uwill search for a nearby lab. You have the right to use your own choices...make them aware that you know this. They either accomidate you or you pay someone else.

http://www.covidien.com/tristaple/pages.aspx?page=productInformation/TristapleReloads Yes these are very good.

Yes, curious - they have been doing stapling for a long while - a new tool, perhaps? Speaking of stapling - make sure they use reinforcement sutures on the outside of the stapling. Good to hear you have been approved!

phew! - be really careful. Make plans to have an alternate plan should you not be able to go up that many stairs - just remember, you really need to be able to anticipate the unanticipated, too. If you go up that many stairs, and let's say you do it in an hour, with rest - etc...now there is a fire alarm at 2AM - real or not - and you have to haul ass down those stairs...hmmmm Consider a compression garment to help you for when you do go up the stairs, and down. Good luck!

I am 5'10". I am only 4 months out, so I don't yet know what the skin will be like for me in a year or so - which is minimally when I am going to begin to worry about it seriously.

Pre op I would say ok - but best thing for protien breath is aggressive rinsing and brushing AND inside cheek and tongue scraping! If you have a quality clear vodka or moonshine, preop about a tbs x3 Water will help elimnate the protien breath. But it has to be clear, rinse before and after.... Post be careful I swallowed a tic tack and it is sooo small and hurt BIG!

I will get plastics eventually but if I have to choose it will be the apron. It is large but really nowhere as big as my tummy was before surgery. That is more of a concern for aging and being independent in my later years. Daily skin therapy - baths with glycerin are good - dry brushing and such that stimulates the skin will help too. a MODERATE daily lotion therapy will help. Drink your Water, drink, drink - avoid alcohol. Cigarettes are no good either! Accupuncture may help this - I am lookin ginto a few reports that it helps the subcutaneous blood flow, which helps the lipids and such dissolve, which triggers the skin to "recede" blah, blah - like I said, I have not confirmed this!

I dropped my personal trainer - the 500$ a month helped me cover the surgery, lol.

I waited about 5 weeks before coffee post-op, then realized I needed more time - now, I must admit, as long as I ma getting in my water I will let myself have some coffee. I use lowfat creamer OR sometimes I will use mootopia (fortified milk w/ 12g protien for 8 oz...I also put benefiber in my coffee, so I cam claim some value! haha)

I am also going to see how much weight I can knock off by the time he gets back!

I do have hobbies, actually - I was just whining...but it so happens my favorite company is my hubby. I think it is that he will be missing stuff we had planned - really looking forward to doing with him - so I will feel his abscence more. I ride bikes, play with my bunnies, tend to my carnivorous plants (and others) - lately I am researching inexpensive ideas to re-do the kitchen and bath (till we do his dream kitchen once we are sure we won't be moving). I am also back into devilsticks & flowersticks, contact juggling, and boxing, krav maga (a little less on the krav maga until my sleeve is healed better) and I am back into european swordplay (double swords rawrrrrrr!). I can keep busy, and I am not really lonely when I am alone - but really like being around people right now. Hmmmm.

I was asked to keep it on clear liquids only during the last 12 hours, before the 12 fasting just before surgery. I was allowed protien shakes until then - but sugar free jello, popsicles, etc and broth worked post-op.

chitowngirl has it on the nose...i often forget to wait (bad habit and I am working on it I swear). I get a pressure sensation and a feeling of wanting to burp but it catches in my throat. UGH.

Thank you for the suggestion! My cook (hubby) is leaving for awhile soon - are the recipies easy? (I have burned boiled eggs before).

Yes, or at least a couple of widths, I know. I am going to go get new safety shoes for work - It takes 3 big thick pairs of socks to keep my shoes from "farting" each step I take, !

My Mom passed away this year, but I was thinking about making some coupons for my friends who are Moms...things like babysitting, or a mani-pedi, trip to Houston Museum of Natural History - it would be a way to say "thank you" to my awesome friends and give me somethign to do while my hubby is out of the country.

So it seems one minute I am "yayyyy" because I hit onderland(actually it was a couple of weeks ago). Now I am like OMG! Mother's Day is creeping up and it will be the first Mother's Day since my Mom passed away (a week after my surgery) - but the next day my hubby will be leaving for Cypress/Israel where he will be for at least several weeks!!! My non-surgery-but-doing-awesome weight loss buddy is going to Philadelphia for however long to properly spoil her step-grandchild. Again "yayyy" but poo! I need hobbies...lol

That may be a bit high on calories (not to mention sodium) I can't "see" the label from this PC...what are serving size/calories/sodium?