Katcloudshepherd

Recycled, So happy for you!!!!!! Congratulations on your success. Hope it is just the beginning of more great things to come. Kathleen

LIpstickLady, True. Some may not need counseling. I know I needed it to deal with issues related to becoming morbidly obese. I've been working on transforming my negative thought patterns for over ten years. I tried everything short of surgery during that time. Kathleen

Congratulations!!!!

I know it had been mentioned to me that some exchange overeating with under eating and develop anorexia. Counseling is a MUST throughout this process. You have to work on the mental aspect of this NOT just the physical one. The mental part of this was more difficult for me than the physical part. I went through a dark period after surgery because I had lost my BESTEST friend---food. Food was ALWAYS there for me, comforting me, consoling me and NEVER turning away from me. I started at 338 before surgery. I hit my goal in about a year. My surgeon was not adamant about setting a specific number for me, for which I am grateful. I'm happy where I'm at. I don't count calories. I make sure I get my Water in, get my Protein in, eat vegetables after protein and eat carbs last. I exercise 3 times a week by going to a pool. I have severe joint issues--so I can't work out on land without causing pain. I try my best to get enough sleep at night. I do supplement my food with unflavored Protein powder and Quest bars. I feel better if I go OVER the 60 grams of protein a day recommended by my surgeon. I feel better at 70 or even 80 grams a day. The only way I can get that much protein in is to supplement my food. Since it's cold, I eat low sugar oatmeal or cream of wheat for Breakfast with protein powder. I make the oatmeal or cream of wheat, add Chia seeds, nuts, coconut manna and make sure I add a little milk to it before I add the unflavored protein powder. I am VERY careful to measure my water and oatmeal or cream of wheat. I can only eat a little, especially with the milk and other things added. When it's warmer I substitute a colder breakfast with protein powder. For me it's difficult to eat hot food when it's warmer outside. I often have a Quest bar mid morning so I can eat my lunch later in the day. I work out after work so I like to eat a late lunch to hold me over. I have the luxury of being able to do that. I know many people are not able to do that on the job. Remember immediately after your surgery, you need to sip, sip, sip your water once they clear you to drink. You need to walk as much as you can to prevent blood clots and pneumonia. I wish you the best. Kathleen

I'm very grateful that my husband has always been supportive. I agree with your friends. I think your husband is a jerk for doing that. How incredibly selfish of him to attempt to damage your efforts. He needs to get his head on straight. I know that sounds harsh but I can't help it. Going through this surgery and recovery is difficult enough WITH support. I hope you can keep your eye on the prize with a saboteur in your midst. I think he needs to get over himself and support you in your efforts. You may have to be the adult in this situation and BE STRONG and DRIVE ON. I wish you well and pray you have strength. Blessings, Kathleen

Kathy, Thank you. I'm so grateful for this site. Thank you Alex Brecher. Coming here and posting and getting feedback from people who have been there, done that and bought the T-shirt ---is PRICELESS. I'll keep y'all updated on Lewis's status after his surgery Monday. Imagine someone singing this sweetly, (admittedly, that would be someone other than myself) : "Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Kathy, happy birthday to you!" I wish you a very happy, wonderful birthday. Kathleen

Hello everyone, My husband, Lewis, is scheduled for his surgery on Monday, January 12, 2015 at 10:15 am. He is a very high risk patient and the surgery will not be laproscopic. The surgeon has to go in via an incision due to other health issues. Those who are so inclined--PLEASE say a prayer for him to be able to undergo the vertical sleeve gastrectomy AND recover well from it. Those are the remaining hurdles for him. As I've said before, I would very much like to be a couple who can dance again, travel again and enjoy things we used to enjoy. Keep warm everyone in the states, I know it's colder than a well digger's a$$ in Alaska as my father used to say. Kathleen

Sleeves too long is still a NSV! Congratulations on your loss. It just struck me that this is one of the few places you will ever hear those words in the same sentence: "Congratulations on your loss". Most of the time it is: "So sorry for your loss". As a dear friend often says: "but I digress". I'm happy for your success. Wishing you continued NSV's and even more "losing" . I hope to NEVER find the weight I've lost Blessings, Kathleen

soon2besleeved, I wish you the best with your upcoming appointment and I hope your surgery is scheduled quickly. My husband has his pre-op appointment today and his surgery is scheduled for Monday, 1/12/15. I can sympathize with you. I know when I was where you are now, I just wanted to get on with it and get it done. Blessings, Kathleen

Hello everyone, I had to look up the word, you know in that archaic item on the shelf, (book they call a dictionary). That is not a complaint. Thank you to the person who originally posted the word "flounce" and in doing so, added it to my vocabulary. I actually am one of those people who are thankful when people use a word I'm not familiar with and I have to look it up. I know, I could easily have used the internet but I'm "old-school" and like to look the word up so I can remember it. flounce\'flaun(t)s\ vi. flounced; floun cing [perh. of Scand origin; akin to Norw flunsa to hurry] (1542) 1 a: to move with exaggerated Jerky or bouncy motions <flounced about the room, jerking her shoulders, gesticulating -- Agatha Christie>; also : to move so as to draw attention to oneself <flounced into the lobby> b : to go with sudden determination <flounced out of the room in a huff> 2 : FLOUNDER, STRUGGLE. Thanks again for a new word in my vocabulary. Hope y'all have a good one, wherever you may be : ) . Blessings, Kathleen

I'll bet there will come a day when they'll be able to synthesize the "skinny" gut bacteria. Since my tastes have changed so much since VSG---I think there is something there. Sweet foods just don't appeal to me like they did before surgery. I want savory---meat, cheese, olives. I'm so grateful my tastes have changed and I hope to God they never go back! Thanks for the laughs y'all---too funny. Yes, you too can get be that thin person!!!! with a little help from someone else's poo. (brings a WHOLE new meaning to "with a little help from my friends")---you too can be that svelte, thin person you ALWAYS wanted to be . If it were only that simple . Morbid obesity is a multifaceted, pernicious, cunning and eventually deadly--disease. I'm so thankful that mine is being treated now with the technology available. Kathleen

Babbs, So sorry for your loss. Havanese are happy, clownish dogs. Zsa-Zsa is a happy little girl. I've had to start giving her pills for her arthritis. I can always tell when she's hurting because she doesn't move much and just lays on her pillow. She has one specific type of toy and that is the ONLY one she will play with. She's my cuddle bunny and Shadow is just that--my husband's shadow. He was named Benny when we adopted him but since we're good friends with our next door neighbors and his name is Ben and his son's name is Ben--we changed his name to Shadow. Shadow was a natural fit because he is always very near my husband. When I have been home and my hubby, (Lewis) is away, you would think I'm a piece of furniture. Shadow and Zsa-Zsa both are apprehensive until Lewis is home. When my husband has VSG on Monday, January 12th, I won't be getting much sleep that night because the dogs will run outside at every noise. We have a "doggy" door for them and Lewis has a wheelchair ramp for his power chair. They don't settle down until he's home and then they sleep very deeply. I sometimes think that pets can be more devoted to someone than a human can. They provide such unconditional love and they don't care what you look like, how much money you make or what kind of car you drive. Kathleen

To all you I'm so sorry for your losses. I dread the day when my fur babies are old and can no longer continue. I have 2 little dogs, (1 adopted) and 2 adopted cats. My Zsa-Zsa is a Havanoodle--1/2 Havanese and 1/2 Poodle. My Shadow is a Pohuahua--1/2 Pomeranian and 1/2 Chihuahua. I have two adopted kitties, soon to be 1 year old. Sonnie is a white/orange Tabby and Misty is a beautiful tan, brown and light brown, blue-eyed all American mix. My sister in law had to bury her horse in the back pasture when it got so old she had to put it down. They used a back hoe to dig the grave. I have a little pet cemetery for the ones I've loved and lost. It's under a very large pecan tree. I have angel statues and solar crosses that light up and change colors. I can sit on my back porch and look at the ones who will meet me on the rainbow bridge when I go (hopefully) to heaven. I hope you all find comfort in your memories of the good times you had with your critters.

RJ, I also congratulate you on your weight loss, especially after all you have been through to get where you are!!!!!! I'm going to have to replace much of my winter coats. Thank goodness my gloves still fit!!! Blessings, Kathleen

Love it!!!! When I was first on this site I didn't know what a NUT was. I figured it out after reading several posts. Thank you for taking the time compiling the list. I know in the military we spoke in abbreviations but everyone had a crash course in the language during basic training. Blessings, Kathleen

Kathy, it's been a haul since that September in 2001. We've been married since September of 1992 when I came home on a late, mid-tour leave from Korea. We've been through rough seas but our boat has remained afloat. We shall persevere through this as well. Thank you again, all prayers for him are greatly appreciated, Kathleen

Congratulations on your weight loss! Sounds like you are doing everything you need to do. Keep up the good work!!!

Love your conversation! Especially the part about figuring out the "fairer" sex. Brought a smile to my face this morning. I think that is one of my higher power's greatest jokes on us--making us just different enough to try and figure each other out . If you're not into that it's evolutions greatest joke. I rarely go into specific forums, I usually just look at recent topics as well and respond to them. I hope y'all have a good day.

Congratulations on your weight loss. I hope to heck I never "find" the weight I've lost. I go to the gym regularly, (will be going after work today). When I'm at the gym, I glance at others but I am way to concentrated on doing my workout to pay much attention. I think MANY at the gym are the same way. I pay a pretty penny to go to the one I go to so I'm not there to socialize or stare at others. I'm sure there are some vain people who spend their time gawking but frankly my dear "I don't give a damn". Maybe it's a happy side effect of being older but I seem to care less and less what other people think about me the older I get. A phrase I heard in Over-eater's Anonymous, (OA) was: "What other people think of you is none of your business." Even at my heaviest, I still went to the gym. Like I said, I'm older so I guess I just blew it off. Frack' them! You are there to improve your health. Blessings, Kathleen

Thank you Elode, proudgrammy, darby0375 and Blue_Disciple I sure hope and pray your surgery goes well. Kathleen

Kathy, My husband's colon ruptured on 9/11/2001. He had food poisoning and was hospitilized for diverticulitis several weeks before that. Because of the colon rupture on 9/11/01, he had to heal with an open wound. I had to pack it with a wet/dry dressing twice a day. Then, several months later, they went in and re-attached his colon. He had a wound vac that time. It closed more in a few months than it did in 6 months with the open wound. He had several successive surgeries all going through the same incision. They kept getting infected and he was never able to have a closed wound where his muscles were sutured together. As a result, he has a layer of skin that covers his intestines and doesn't have muscles over his intestines. He has a small hernia in his upper abdomen. He wears an abdominal binder to hold his belly. That is why he can't have laproscopic surgery. Several years ago, we had went in for a consultation with a surgeon for the gastric bypass. This was before they were even doing the sleeve. The surgeon said by he time he got his intestines straightened out, it would be such a long complicated surgery, he would likely develop a blood clot that could kill him after the surgery. That is why he couldn't have the bypass several years ago. You need not worry about me telling you to MYOB. You have been there for me and I so greatly appreciate it. He is very overweight and has more co-morbidities than I. He is on oxygen 24/7, high blood pressure meds, Coumidin for blood thinning and he had adult onset diabetes. Because I eat such a high Protein low carb diet, his diabetes is completely under control. He's never had to take meds for it. He actually got approval for surgery much quicker than I did last year. It took them 2 weeks to approve my surgery. It is such a relief that they did. I'm in no way complaining. I'm just so grateful the insurance approved it. Now the next hurdle--the surgery. He's doing good. I imagine he's more nervous than I was because he is older and has so many more health issues so surgery is more complicated for him. Happy New year to you too. I'm hoping that 2015 is going to be a good one for him and I. We may be able to travel again. Be a couple dancing on the dance floor!!!!!! I miss being able to slow dance with him. Kathleen

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be sure to drink all your liquids. People sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. I don't know how much damage you may be doing but after going through the surgery--you don't want to continue this practice. I find it's best to distract myself when I get the urge to eat when I don't need to. I have to turn my "fat" brain's attention to something else so I'm not eating. Counseling is your best bet. I would not be where I am without working on my head. Unfortunately, there is no magic switch to flip after surgery--you have to continue to fight the battle of the urges to eat. Good luck, Kathleen

Hello everyone, My husband has been approved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank God. He actually got his approval more quickly than I did. It took two weeks last year for me to be approved. He will start his pre-op diet on 1/5/15, have his final pre-op appointment on 1/8/15 and the surgery on 1/12/15. I'm excited and anxious at the same time. It will be a more complicated surgery than mine. Mine was laproscopic and his will be an open incision. Those of you who are so inclined, PLEASE say a prayer that everything will go well and his surgeon will be able to complete the surgery. His surgeon has said--if he gets in there and thinks it will kill him to do the surgery he'll close him up and won't do it. He said he won't know for sure until he actually does the surgery. 1st hurdle down---next is actual procedure. Blessings, Kathleen

amponder, I went through a VERY DARK period several months after surgery. I think it was because I lost my "best" friend-food as a solace and comforter. After all, food never looked down on me, taunted me, or turned away from me. Food never ever reacted negatively to me like people do. I suffer from, actually I should say, "I deal with" depression. I take medication for it. I come from a long line of people who dealt with depression by diving into a bottle. With the weight loss, medication, exercise and with my faith--I've been able to deal with depression. I believe God has a purpose for me to be here--hope I figure out what the heck it is before I kick the bucket . Changing my brain after surgery was far more difficult than changing my physical body. To that end, I have a post it note taped to my bedside lamp. It says: "Fake it till you make it." and "Make up your mind to be happy." I have to make a conscious effort EVERYDAY to think about the positive things in my life. I have to count my blessings regularly otherwise I just see all the negative things. I now have a big aversion to negative people and DO NOT like to be around them. They bring me down--and I sure don't need any assistance there. Congratulations on your success!!!! Kathleen

Not a stupid question. I wish you the best. I was required to drink clear liquids for the first week. I ended up buying some Isopure clear liquid Protein because I felt weak before the end of that first week. The second week I could have Protein drinks made with milk.