FluffyChix

Three months post-op as of today!

Two months behind me now, and my energy is finally picking up.  So for folks just getting surgery, if you don't immediately get the energy surge that people talk about, be patient!

I have reached a new level of ridiculous, even for me. This morning I downloaded an app to help me track my bowel movements to make sure I'm not at risk of constipation/an obstruction. It will alert me if I haven't gone #2 in 36 hours. 

So my daughter reminded my she had a snap shot on her phone of me from about 3 months before i started this journey so pretty close to my max weight. I have had it for few days now and had to work thru my emotions before i could clearly decide if i wanted to post this or not. So the beard hides my 3 chins pretty well but well you can see for yourself. loose skin and all
 

It was like a scene from The Exorcist tonight.  Pizza was involved.  And hanger, lol.  I stayed strong (somehow) and made my planned Curried Lentil Coconut Soup (soooooo good) and let my guys eat their #@$%& pizza without me.

As of this morning, I have officially hit 50 pounds down since surgery! That means I'm averaging 20 pounds per month. Even though it seems slow week to week, I can't argue with that!

Hi everyone.  I am excited to report that yesterday marked 7 months that I have been maintaining well below my goal weight.  Life is great, and I will always be so thankful the experience of this entire journey from the beginning with the six month pre-op diet program, to the surgery itself, to post-op life, and (most importantly) an on-going successful maintenance.  I hope this finds each of you well, regardless of where you are in the process.  Best wishes!

Saddness .... some labs came back and my A1C is 6.4%. I was hoping that it would be in the normal range. Well, we'll see what it is like in 3 more months. The nurse practitioner at the hospital said that it is good progress. However, if in 3 months it does not get into a normal range, I'll need to go back on an oral medicine. When it rains it poors. At least, I finally got some sleep and I feel like getting up and walking around again. Anyone that thinks surgery is the easy way out is just plain ignorant. Le sigh!

I had a setback yesterday. I went to the ER in severe stomach pain and nausea. It turns out that I had a stricture so the ER stabilized me and then I was transported to Wilmington Hospital, where I had the surgery to begin with. They did some emergent repairs. I am doing okay but in too much pain to get around. Anyhow, the surgeon emphasized rest and not getting up and moving. I will be discharged on Friday morning as they want to keep me for observation. Life happens but we keep moving, right-o?

Minor update: It's been a bit of a journey--up ten pounds and then, finally, got rid of those ten (again) and am again making some slow progress downward. I'm very excited at the prospect of breaking the 300-pound mark and having my weight begin with a 2 instead of a 3 for the first time in--decades? I'm not even sure how long it's been, but a long, long time. Wow. Don't know whether I'll ever make it to onederland, but every step downward is a victory of sorts. Yay. 
One weird thing about this journey for me is how chaotic and difficult my life has been during most of it. I've lived in four or five different places in the past six months and I'm about to move again, most likely back to a motel that will, I'm hoping, be temporary. Sheesh. Back to all my cooking being done in the microwave and toaster-oven . . . I'm not thrilled by that. However, I'm finally on the list at a senior/low-income apartment complex, and I've been told vacancies are coming up (how soon? don't know; where am I on the waiting list? don't know), so I don't really want to sign a lease elsewhere. Please God I get an apartment of my own with a real kitchen soon.
 

Hit 90 lbs down today... so close to my first 100 lbs down!

Three minor disappointments today:
My favorite shirt is officially too big to wear, because it sits awkwardly on my shoulders and doesn't stay put. My good-occasion bra is ALSO too big in the cups. Like, to a startling degree, considering my other bras still fit fine. For the first time since surgery, I've gained a pound, though I *think* that's due to digestive delays.

Well not the greatest start to my day, only down 1.5 pounds and missed the crossover from obese to overweight. So another week i guess. Well at least its down even if slower than i would like.
Tuesday is nine full months and some days it feels like a blink and others like 9 years.
got to get some coffee in me, to dam early in the morning for coherent thought.
enjoy your weekend

Taking each day one at a time.

So, getting finances in order, I managed to sell my 2016 Toyota Avalon. It was a beautiful car, of which surprisingly, I’m doing fine without and I actually don’t miss it; and also of which resulted in having a one-vehicle household, which resulted in me HAVING to walk 2.2 miles everyday 5x a week to get my daughter to school. I’m actually quite glad, I’m feeling better/stronger again, and I dropped almost $20,000 of debt. WIN-WIN! 

Saw the head doc again today because I am feeling so mentally out of sorts. You cannot put a price on a good psychiatrist. A little med adjustment and she thinks I'll be on the up and up. Sleep has been terrible post-surgery so I am hoping this non-narcotic sleep aid she prescribed works well.

PSA:  Don't try to eat flank steak at Week #5, no matter how thinly it is sliced, how small the pieces are, or how much you chew them.  Just don't do it.

hey everyone. I didn’t keel over and die...just been awol from here.  Been busy getting another aspect of my life in order...finances! Lol. It’s been a ride but it’s good.
So, I’m almost a year out. I don’t have any numbers to give ya except I’m close to the goal the doc’s office set for me. I’m still going strong with my plant eating. Yum. So strong that my body rejects chicken. Lol. Okay, my taste buds rejected a bite of chicken I had at a bbq.
I guess I should get some numbers for the newbies soon, it always helps to see what you can be at a year out or more right? I’ll do it closer to my date which is the15th of May. 
Blessings to you all. 

Stall Day #7...sigh

I am reminded today that gaining one's health is not a linear progression. Meaning we have days and setbacks. I had my protein-rich breakfast and I am nauseous as a mofo. I didn't feel like my protein-fortified oatmeal so I had two protein-fortified, zero-sugar hot chocolates. All told 30g of protein but I am feeling super crappy. Hoping this wave will pass.

Professional headshot!

Yesterday marks 1 year of my weight loss journey. My first weigh in after deciding to get bariatric surgery I was 259.4 lbs. Today I am 215 lbs. So happy where I'm at!

Being on this high protein diet has the pleasant added bonus of recovering quickly from a workout. I feel pretty good this morning after yesterday afternoon's first gym session in 4 years. I expected to be feeling pretty tired but I feel I could do some stationary bicycle stuff today.

Eager to post some photographic evidence of my progress so far!  This week will mark the beginning of my fifth month post-op.  The before photos I weighed in at 280.1 the night before my surgery.  The after photos were taken today at my current weight, 229.8.  
Some new NSVs include being a size 0 in Torrid dresses and finding my newly purchased size 18s are getting looser and looser.  

Onderland!!  Where's the emoticon for cartwheels?