FluffySaysForkIt!

I had my gallbladder out about 8 weeks after my RNY. I don't feel like it slowed down my weight loss in any way.

I was just soooo glad to feel better after getting it out- that "wait and see" stuff is miserable!

(I do have to eat low fat now as others have mentioned, though.)

Good luck and feel better soon!

Hi-

Like others said, totally normal! I know I "gained" 10 pounds after my surgery.

I actually have very similar starting weight and height stats as you @Quinnmedicinewoman52 . I am now six months out and I am down 100+ pounds. Just hang in there, work your Doctor's plan, and keep the faith. Good things are coming your way. Looking forward to hearing about all your many victories to come!

(Congrats on being on the other side of surgery, too!)

Sorry- running late!!!

Last few days were CRAZY here! (Good crazy, though!)

Home:

Like most mentioned, that I have the luxury of having one. Something so easy to take for granted...

Bill:

While I never love paying a bill, I guess my student loan is one I am grateful for. Without the loans to go to college, I would never have been able to make up the difference in cost, even after scholarships.

Experience I am most grateful for this month:

I had a few great ones. I hit a mini goal weight and I was officially cleared to go off of my CPAP!

Thanks for the great questions and for the chance to do some reflecting this past month.

Day 27: Most grateful for in my country

I am grateful that the US has American citizens that came from all parts of the world. I love the fact that an "American" can look like anyone, originally be from anywhere, and yet still can really become part of our society. It is the very best of of our country's strengths, IMO. I hope we never lose sight of that...

Check In:

1. Personal goal:

Drink more Water & continue to try out new on plan recipes that the family can get on board with.

Water wise I have been doing better this month , so thanks for the challenge to get me in that mind set. Recipe wise there has been some, but it has been a crazy month, so I have stuck with the tried and true more lately.

2. Surgery type:

RNY almost 6 months ago. Still losing and working toward first goal weight.

3.Stats: Nov. 1st: 195.4 lbs - BMI 29.7

Today Is: 187.8 lbs - BMI 28.6

4. food I am most grateful for today:

Yogurt- I love that stuff!

10 hours ago, ms.sss said:

HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE CIGARETTE IN 26 DAYS. I think I am now in the clear!!!

That is HUGE! I know how hard it can be to quit- congratulations!

Most grateful for in my city:

I guess that I don't live in one! Nearest "town" had a population of 70 at last count, lol.

I really enjoy going to the cities, but I am always glad to get back home, too. I love the wide open space and the nature all around.

Social media:

I don't actually do ANY social media. I think I just have a natural distrust of it. I can see how Facebook can help people kind of keep up with each other, but it's soooo phoney. Its like reading everyone's Christmas letter- all the friggin time. You know, the one where Aunt June says her son is "taking time off to explore his possibilities" and you already know that really means he is doing felony time for 3 more years? 🤣

Hard pass!!!

10 hours ago, ms.sss said:

I opened this page on my laptop, with the brightness turned up all the way and zoomed right in on your left butt cheek....

THIS is evidence of a really good friend. Lol! Love it! ❤️

I agree, the padding does not show at all, and I now have my own perky butt on order due to the perfect fanny pics . You should probably get some commission @sillykitty ...

Don't know what is available where you are, but a personal favorite of mine is Stash brand Asian Pear Harmony green tea. They also have others that are pretty great.

I have so many teas that I bought this, a few times, to organize them- Love it!

Tea Organizer

Phone:

Gosh, I use it for everything now. food counts, alarm etc. Most important would be keeping up with the kids though!

That sounds aweful!

Is it possible you have lost enough weight in your face that the particular mask you are using is just not suitable anymore? Have you tried any others? Just trying to think of anything...

I am so sorry you are having trouble!

I actually just had my second sleep study done 2 nights ago so I don't know if I have improved enough to go off cpap yet. (I do know mine is better, however.)

I don't have any explaination for sure as to why you are suddenly mouth breathing- but my theory is that it isn't actually related to your surgery at all. Many people who are able to use nasal type masks, even for long time periods, can begin to have issues as they start to open their mouths at night. It can just happen.

Have you looked into issues with your nose? I know if my nose is blocked, even a tiny little bit, I will mouth breath and my cpap pillows don't work. (I can have allergies, a cold, or something so minor I would otherwise not even notice it.) I also went to an ENT and had them do a Turbinoplasty to make my nose less stuffy at night. It was an easy, in office procedure and has helped tremendously.

I hope you get some answers and find a solution soon- good luck!

The Thanksgiving memory I am most grateful for is the only time I ever met my paternal Grandfather. However, it isn’t quite what it might initially sound like. To explain, I have to go back a bit. I hope you can forgive the long post- I feel like I owe it to him to tell his story.

My Grandfather was a brilliant man, literally. A high achieving scholar with a full ride scholarship to Annapolis Military Academy as he graduated high school back in a time when many people only completed even 8^th grade. He had everything going for him a young man could hope for, and his family was endlessly proud of him for so many reasons beyond just these.

Everything went according to plan for a few years. He was successful in everything he ever endeavored to try, he married, and he was a loving father to his two young boys. Life could not have been better, until something began to go drastically wrong.

After several years of struggle, my Grandfather was diagnosed with late onset paranoid schizophrenia. Unable to function without constant specialized care, he was institutionalized in a VA Mental Health Hospital facility at the age of 27 where he would live until his death at 82 years.

As a child I grew up knowing my Grandfather well as my Dad would visit him faithfully every two weeks, no matter what else was going on in his life. I frequently went along to visit and my Grandfather was always included at every family holiday in our home.

When I was 11 one Thanksgiving Day we were seated around the Thanksgiving table, as we usually would do, preparing to feast on all of my Mom’s hard work. My Grandfather sat at the head of the table, my Father at the other end, and the rest of us sat in between. We said grace and began to pass the food around. Suddenly, as my Grandfather interrupted the quiet chatter, I looked up into his face. He said, in the most earnest tone, “I try to be like everyone else, but I just can’t. I am so sorry.”

Even at only eleven I sensed that this was something big. I knew instantly that this was a man I had never really met. There was a clarity in his eyes I had never before seen, and the person he had not been allowed to be sat with all of us in that moment.

We all sat in stunned silence for a second, each of us feeling the weight of it. Finally, my Dad, his voice cracking, said “It’s OK, Dad. We understand.” My Grandfather smiled at us all, and then that new light in his eyes was gone again.

I absolutely believe I met my Grandfather, the man inside, for the first and only time that day. It is a gift I will never forget.

The next time you encounter someone with mental illness, please don’t pretend like they are not there. Say hello and try to interact- even if it is awkward and uncomfortable for you. These people deserve more than cold silence and invisibility.

You never know who is inside of that exterior, just waiting to be seen. ❤️

Ok, the parents are officially moved into their new place... WHEW!!! 🙌

What I am most grateful for in my daily life:

Well, that has to be my wonderful family. They are everything.

Small item used daily that I am most grateful for:

Other than my phone, it would be my food scale. It has taught me a lot about what portions should look like.

B Side Question- Sweet or salty Snacks?

Always have been a salty snack lover, and I still am.

I am pretty sure if the devil himself wanted to show up with a food to tempt me he would be carrying a giant bucket of movie theatre popcorn.

Day 19: Biggest splurge item

Years ago my husband bought me a new car for my birthday. (We knew we were going to get a car anyway, but he surprised me with one that day.) He had it done in custom leather and a few other cool features. I would never have gotten all the "fancy", but I did love it and drove it for many, many years.

Interestingly, that is actually the only brand new car I have ever owned in my entire life. I loved driving it, but was less thrilled with making the payments on it. I now drive an old mini van! 😜

Catching up- been moving my elderly parents and I am tired!!!!

Band I am most grateful for:

I like a some of really every type of music, jazz, heavy metal, rap, big band, country etc. so this one is so hard. I have hits from every decade on my playlist- from the 1920's on up!

My bands in high school were Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Def Leppard and so on. I still crank them way too loud in my car when they are on.

For sheer, all time great I'd have to pick Louis Armstrong though. His rendition of What A Wonderful World reminds me of singing along as I rocked my sweet babies to sleep.

Job:

Since I am currently at home, I grateful for all of it!

When I was teaching special education I loved to see my kids, who were often overlooked due to their differences, find their own way to shine. They taught ME so much about finding joy right where you are.

Trait:

I am grateful for my sense of humor. I always wonder how people without much of one manage to get through this world!

B side questions:

I am too early out to say for sure if I will eventually get hangry, I still forget to even eat right now. (Things I never dreamed I would say, lol.) I know this will change with time, so we will see.

Not worried about Thanksgiving food for the same reason.

However, that cheese pie recipe may change my mind... drool.

Day 15: What about your body are you most grateful for?

It allowed me to have two great kids. (With a some, uhh, collaboration. 😉)

It was resilient enough to keep going, even in unhealthy times.

It has rallied in the second chance I am working to provide it.

Day 14: Rejection

This one IS tough to talk about....

I don't know that I have exactly gratitude for any of them. I do have learning and acceptance for all of them though, but I am sometimes a slow learner there. Lol.

Not one of my rejections, however devastating some of them felt at the time, was the stop sign in front of me that it may have seemed like it was back then. Instead, they were only Detour signs- and I learned, most of all, that life goes on and that it WILL continue to take you to places not on your handy, dandy foldable map.

So I try to swerve when I can, and attempt to enjoy the scenery- no matter what the view- because I know a person rarely gets to drive that same route twice. Still on my learning permit though... 😉

1 hour ago, KarenLR75 said:

@FluffySaysForkIt!- did you find a good combo of Biotin and lysine?

This is @GreenTealael 's famous thread-

Telogen Effluvium

I have said it before, if she got paid per click on that puppy- she'd be rich...💰💵💲😉

1 hour ago, GreenTealael said:

Ok

I was in Old Navy for my teens the other day and it was a WRECK. I can't stand going in anymore and its almost always like this no matter which store I go to on the East Coast 😂

Are they like that in other regions? Is it just the season? Sale times? Personal vendetta?

It is the Pixies. They are sick of people messing with their pants.

Everyone looks so fab, BTW.

I admire and hand out 💙's, but I am sure I have missed a few by accident. I can't keep up! LOL!

I hope to be posting my first OOTD here soon. I am Just a couple pounds from a mini goal I set for myself and will do so to Celebrate with all the awesome inspiration I have found here. Thanks for sharing, everyone. Always love the OOTD thread!

Day 13: Favorite Season

I really love Fall. Halloween is my favorite holiday- all fun and no pressure! I love the sheer whimsy of it.

Hair:

At almost 6 months post surgery, I think I am finally coming out of the Hair loss phase. (For awhile there it was like living with a giant blonde lhasa apso in the house! 😱) My hair is definately thinner now, maybe by 30 or 40% even. However, I started out with a lot and it is long, so I don't think that most people would notice anything. I did get it cut in layers around my face a few weeks ago to help hide the expected new baby hairs there, and I curl it to give it some volume.

Thank you so much @GreenTealael for the early advice on Biotin and Lysine for hair loss prevention. It for sure made me feel better to have something to try! Worth every penny. (And my nails are fab now too so, bonus!)

As a quick aside, I bought this curling device a couple months ago. It looks crazy, but I LOVE this thing! Easy, fast, really pretty curls that stay in my hair until I wash it again. (I can go 2-3 days between washes easily.) I have never had so many compliments on my hair as when I use this thing, and since I kinda stink at regular wand curling irons, this one has been great. Supposed to work well on lots of varied hair texture types too, but I can't vouch for that myself. Just something to check out...

Chi Spin and Curl

Day 12: Three people I am grateful for

Both parents, my husband, and my two kids. (I am pretending like I can't count because it is way too hard to do only three. 😳)

Truthfully, I have so many people in my life that I am grateful for, and this question was a great reminder of that. 💙

B Side: What would you tell your younger self

Try not to fear failure. Go out for the things you want to try and know that what anyone else thinks really does not matter. Enjoy the ride.

P.S.

Your first boyfriend is an a$$hole. Dump him quick.

P.P.S.

Girl,

Do not ever, ever, ever use Sun In hair Lightener in your hair!!!

If you do, you are gonna look like a bleached bannana...

Trust me on this. 🍌

2 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Thanks for stirring up early childhood trauma.

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

P.S. ❤️

Sorry about that-

but I now know for a fact you are good peeps. Lol! 😀 💙

@MIZ60 I happen to have spent some time around the actual covered bridges in Madison County, Iowa when I was a teen. In fact, I even know where someone carved the initials of myself and my hubby inside a heart on one years before the book or the movie. (He, of course, wouldn't do that now. Young Love...) 💘

Shhhh... don't tell!