NancyW

Hello again all. Hope everyone is doing well

Change certainly is never easy. But as the saying goes. nothing worth having comes easy. This in my opinion one of the hardest things I can think of in regards to life changes. Lets face it, if you are an alcoholic, addicted to drugs, you fight to break that addiction, turn away from the drugs/alcohol and you work hard to never look back. But we have the more difficult task (NOT NOT NOT that I;m downplaying recovering addicts, I have tremendopus respect for them) but we can't walk away from our addiction...food. We have to face it every day, making it a daily battle. But deciding to do this, to get the sugery, to change our lives, shows we DO have the strength. Some days its just harder to find then others EEsMom...don't let the hurdles discourage you, so many of us had to go through them. Lets face it, we are doing this because we suffer health issues, so no wonder we hit some walls along the way! Each step though, is one step closer. Good luck to you!!! Heres another blog... Posted 3/23/11 One more week makes it 3 months. 3 months. Funny, I would think time would have felt like it flew. IT HASN'T! hehe. Its been a long 3 months if you ask me. Just yesterday and last night I was sick again. I know, I know, try not to be shocked. I wonder if that's ever going to stop or if it's a permanent price to pay. Not that its the end of the world, I mean this is annoying but diabetes would have eventually killed me. So its seemingly a small price. But on days like that I do find myself a little...perturbed. For all the seminars, meetings etc that I went to no one spoke about these down sides. Yes, yes they talked about eating too fast or too much making you sick, or eating the wrong thing may give you "dumping syndrome" (Really? with all the medical jargon out there they couldn't come up with a better phrase? Come on, that’s just gross) anyway... I don't know if they would tell us ahead of time of ALL the negative consequences that a lot of people would change their minds. I really don't think it would deter anyone. Hell, I made sure at the seminar I asked all about death rates from the surgery and that kind of stuff. Now mind you, they didn’t have it as part of the whole presentation but they did most graciously answer my questions.(Leave it to me to scare everyone) But anyway, why omit anything at all? I'm sorry but I had no idea how sick I was going to be all the time. Last night I was barely able to hold my Vitamins down. That’s just crazy! But it is what it is. I was talking to a friend of mine who told me he ran into an old friend. She had once been like 400 lbs, had the surgery a year ago and was looking and doing great. Then he told me she said yes, she still felt sick a lot.... ... ... ... A YEAR LATER?! So I gave up one sickness for another lol. Well ok, being nauseous all the time wont kill me so this is the better deal but I do find some kind of twisted amusement in this. All I know is that I have indeed learned this: I once claimed that having surgery was "taking the easy route" Well it may have been the fast route but easy? LIKE HELL!!! It has its own price, a worthy one but a price nonetheless... Call it karma, call it cosmic justice... just call me in some tums. Have a great holiday everyone!!

Thank you everyone, being an inspiration to even just one person is...an amazing feeling. I certainly hope I can continue to help in any way Springerboy...I know the feeling. Even after all this time thats still a battle. We are taught all our lives to "clean the plate" Going to restaurants? Man, the portions they give!! Once again, allowing us to believe thats what we SHOULD be eating. How many people eat until they are full? We all do! Well most. But thats not really how we should eat. food is fuel for our bodies, yes we can enjoy and should but we have to remember, eat to energize, to sustain. Eat until you are satisfied, not full. We arent meant to eat until we cant eat anymore yet thats what we know, how we've lived! I still sometimes (ok a lot of times) sit down to dinner and it tastes SO good I want more!!! Its a fight to stop, sometimes I literally get mad, I want to enjoy it damn it! lol! Its hard to push that meal away and tell myself, Im satisfied and thats all I need to be. My body has told me I've eaten enough and I dont want it telling me I had too much, that only causes a night of being sick and that extra mouthful now just ruined that whole meal I was enjoying. Yes we have to look at food diferently, again not to say we shouldnt enjoy, we can and should but relearning limitations in a society that teaches gluttony by oversized portions and "all you can eat" buffets is something that we have to work on. Again, this is how Americans were generally raised so why would we think different? Because we are the ones, the lucky ones, who know better now. Who know that by changing our way of viewing cooking, food and living this new life that we have the oppertunity to do what so many other people can't...have a new life, a better one!! Fight the fight!!! I'm right there with you while you do! New blog entry coming soon

I'll be honest, I was SO turned off by the people I came across at St. Luke's that I have faced most of my journey alone (sans family of course but we know thats not the same) I had no interest in support groups since the people I came across were not... supportive LOL! Sounds to me like you're doing wonderful! Grats and keep up the great work!!!

I'm having trouble putting my avatar in. It cropped my pic wrong and my profile picture was my chest LOL!!!!

1 year and 5 months lol! Had mine in Dec 2010 Happy to meet another Pennsylvanian! (is that a word?) 3 months out? How are you feeling????

LOL! I'm glad if even just a few people read. If I'm really lucky I can give hope, maybe inspire, give a little "education" and mostly make people smile. If I accomplish that, I'm thrilled!!

Heres something a bit lighter . More insite to the whole weightloss issue in general but still, it was a blog therefore I must post Posted February 10, 2011 I never thought I would find pleasure in jamming a needle in my fingertips. Well ok, let me rephrase. I never thought it would make me smile. Ok no matter how I say that it just comes out wrong. But I think you get the point. That stupid diabetes has been with me for 12, almost 13 years now. I've been on meds twice a day, insulin 4 times, then no insulin, then down to pills once a day, back to twice a day, back to insulin which led to this run-on sentence. The numbers on my meter matched my weight loss and gain. It was like some sort of evil payback. Gain weight, more needles, lose weight less needles. The answer was simple. Just lose weight. Riiight. That's why 64% of Americans are overweight. The fat-stats are frightening. Of that 64%, 31% are "obese". Do you realize the significance of that? Lets play a number game. There is approx. 308,000,000 in the United States. (oh stop googling it, the point here not for 100% accuracy...now stay with me) So take 64% of that at you have 110,880,000. Thats insane. Look, I'm not criticizing people who are horizontally challenged. Hell I've been one my whole life and I still am. I just find those fact..scary? Nah, I find them bull. What, you ask? You heard me. Total bull. Yes, I believe its a conspiracy. I'm serious. Really, stop laughing. I'm no conspirisist...c..o..n..whatever. But I do believe there are companies (and parts of government but we wont go there) that are in cahoots. Hear me out. I have been diabetic for almost 15 years. AH HA! Its 13, did you remember that or are you pretending to read? Anyway, in that time I saw the numbers for what they considered "diabetic" drop 3 times. When I was preggers, the number to be under was 140. Now days thats reason to go on meds. Really? Are you sitting there telling me you find it inconceivable that there are underground dealings between the medical field and the drug companies? Can you say kickbacks? When was the last time you went to the Dr and he didn't want to give you or someone in your family, a neighbor, a friend, a pet some kind of drug? Hell they told me when my daughter was 3 (lots of problems, long story and not for here lol) that she would need meds when she was older. Really? Are you a Dr or a psychic? Did they call the psychic hotline? And you'll note that my daughter is almost 14 and doesn't take nor need them. Now, a 5 foot 7 Inch woman weighing 160 lbs is considered overweight and at risk for weight related diseases. Again I ask, really? A number on paper or a website does not define us. We are not created from cookie cutters, making us all the same. But it doesnt matter. Does it? This surgery I had, to qualify, you need only have a BMI of 51%. Thats all you need. You can be healthy as a horse, next to some 110 LB person who is sickly, but your eligable for surgery. No one sees a problem here? Not everyone who is overweight by these BMI standards is unhealthy. Or even overweight for that matter. Remember the 5'7 chick? Ok, enough of that. So anyway. I will admit that its a pleasure to see the monitor reading such low numbers. Curious though... 2 Drs told me after the surgery that as long as my numbers were under 140 they would be thrilled. Remeber that number? Interesting, no? Have a great day everyone!

It was a rather lengthy post that was also rather heavy. I decided to take it down. Sorry

I'm glad! I know my family loves it and I use all different flavored Jello to make different cheesecakes. I found apricot jello but not sugar free so I'm on the hunt for that!! Sorry I have no stats on the dish nutrition wise

Sorry, removed that last post

So I did all the required testing for weeks before trying to cram everything in so I can get the surgery before years end (thank you for always making things complicated Mr. Insurance Company). But I got it all in and was ready to go, having lost my required 20 lbs before the surgery. As they prepped me my surgeon came in (*insert angelic singing*) I love that man!! He warned me once again, there IS the possibility that with my prior surgeries, scar tissue and whatever else they find that they would not be able to do the proceedure. Ouch. Imagine going through all this then waking up and hearing...sorry that was all for nothing. But... onward we went. The surgery was supposed to take an hour and a half. At that time the doctor went to the waiting room to talk to my ex and my son. He told them he didnt know if he was going to be able to do it. There were all kinds of complications, but he wouldnt give up. But also couldn't make any promises. He left them there, worried and praying but informed. Another hour and a half later he came out and said it was rough but he made it., They had to "take me apart to put me back together to take me apart" lol ok, whatever, it worked. I did have 7 incisions instead of 5, but small price to pay of you ask me. My recovery was long. I should have been home from the hospital in a day or 2 I was there 5. I remember asking my ex to kill me lol! I would say over and over, what did I do? What did I do? Oh, I know, saved my life. Minor detail. I just wasnt looking at it that way. The sips of liquid the laps around the hospital were brutal. If my ex and son didnt push me I would have never moved. But I did and each day got better. Some nights I even did my laps alone. But I was just so...beaten. Tired, sick, in pain and really whinny!!! I was filled with regret. A useless emotion but at the time, it didnt matter, I wished I could reverse things and take it back. This, to me, did NOT seem worth it. But of course, I was living in the moment, not looking at the big picture. Not realizing that what I had done, although so horrendous at that moment, would change mylife for the better. No, it would save my life. Posted January 30, 2011 (1 month and 1 day after surgery) The Bad Wow did this start out as a horrid day! I felt crappy (well thats any given day now) and work was hell. I really hate this constant sickness. Every day is the same, nausea, tired, shakey. I left a message on the hospital forums where I had my surgery. The doctors and rest of the team monitor the boards too. Well I left a post on there about how I'm feeling and that I was starting to regret what I had done. The surgery that is. Ok, regret is a useless emotion but still, if I wanna whine then damn it I'm gonna whine! Well everyone said the same thing. "Are you taking your vitamions?" First I said what is a vitamion but then I realized I just made a typo there. Anyway, moving on. Oh the vitamins! Riiiight. Ok is the Dr or hospital going to SUPPLY them to me? Of course not. Oh I see, my health is dependant on taking them. Sorry kids no dinner tonight, but hey! I have my vitamins! I repeat, riiiiight. OK I went on Amazon and found them for a somewhat reasonable price but damn, another expense The Good The Nutritionists who monitor the boards suggested I call my Dr since the "shakey" and tired could be my diabetes meds. So I called and reported my numbers. Know what the Dr said? "Stop taking them but continue to monitor your blood suger" OMG! Yes, call the newspapers! stop the presses! Let the pigions loose!! I am no longer on any diabetes meds! *bow* I'd like to thank the academy... The Ugly Have people said I look like I lost a lot of weight? Yes. But it always seems to be people who knew I had the surgery. What does that tell me? I sometimes wonder if I will ever look in the mirror and see something different. Is that why I had this done? No, but it would be a nice um...perk? ok all, that'll do it for now Yours till Niagara Falls Have a great day everyone!

Pictures always say it best, you look awesome! Grats!

I prefer the 93% lean Ground Turkey to Beef but thats me. These are nice and high in protein! Good stuff (I'm not sure why copy and paste messed up the fonts and spacing but...) Tex Mex Lasagna Vegetable cooking spray 1 pound ground beef, turkey 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 teaspoons Taco Seasoning One 16-ounce can non-fat refried Beans 1 cup salsa, divided One 15-ounce container non-fat Ricotta cheese 2 cups shredded non-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided 24 round wonton wrappers (or 12 egg roll wrappers for a large casserole) - They are in most produce sections Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside. If using cups, place them on a cookie sheet. In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook beef or turkey and onions until meat in no longer pink and onions are tender. Drain if necessary. Stir in chili or taco seasoning, refried beans, and 3/4 cup of the salsa. Set aside to cool slightly. In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese and set aside. Place wrappers on the bottom of the pan, spoon on half of meat mixture and half of cheese mixture. Repeat with wrapper, meat and cheese. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining salsa on each cup or spread onto casserole. Top with remaining Jack cheese. Bake 25 min MexiCali Meatloaf 1 lb ground beef or1 lb ground turkey 1 cup salsa, liquid (mild or medium, depending on your preference) 3 eggs (or equivalent Egg Beaters if you prefer) 2 cups finely non-fat shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend) 2 tbsp garlic powder 2 tbsp onion powder 1 tbsp Montreal Steak Seasoning 1 packet Goya Sazon Seasoning Mix Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until thoroughly blended. The mixture should still feel moist to the touch but form a ball easily. If it seems too wet, add a bit more cheese to firm it up more. Here's a secret to avoiding all that extra grease collecting in the bottom of the pan. Place a piece of bread (stale bread is fine, you're not going to eat it) on the bottom of the pan to line it before you put your meat mixture in. Form into loaf, place on bread slices and bake about 45 min to an hour depending on the meatlof size depending on your oven and how big the meatloaf is. Mix about 4-5 tbs of salsa with 2-3 tbs of ketchup and top meatloaf during the last few minutes of cooking. Remove bread from bottom before serving Mexican Beef & Bean Bake 2 lbs. Ground Turkey or Beef 2 Yellow Onion, diced 1 Green Pepper 1 can (15 oz.) Black Beans, rinsed & drained 1 can (15 oz.) Red Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained 4 oz Fat-Free Cream Cheese 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) healthy choice Cheese Soup 1/2 cup Shredded Non-Fat Mexican Blend Cheese Sauté onions and peppers. Sauté ground meat, drain. Drain and rinse beans. Mix all together except cheese and put in pan. Top with cheese and Bake 30 min at 350.