Albany, New York....?

[rensterness 375]

It was a combination of my weight and having Lupus, it caused a blood clot, seizure and stroke I am 38, happened when I was 24!

[TheNewSleevedJulie 43]

Wow where'd the blood clot come from? (I do vascular ultrasound)

[rensterness 375]

It was to late for them to determine when it happened, they caught one in my lunge following the stroke. With a combination of the weight and having Lupus I was at risk for stroke and more, I consider myself lucky as it could have been so much worse. I was told I would never use the left side of my body again and was denied physical therapy because of this and had to do physical therapy on my own through YouTube and learning videos and so on. After a year I was able to have use of left side of body. Glad I didn't listen or I would have given up hope and been in a wheel chair the rest of my life. As you can tell from my photos I have full use of my left side pretty much besides having to wear a leg brace (which I must say I hide well lol)

[rensterness 375]

I went from working as a home care and hospice nurse which I did for six years, to being a 'client' myself. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, never forget that everyone :-)

[TheNewSleevedJulie 43]

Damn straight!

[TheNewSleevedJulie 43]

That's inspiring and makes me sincerely very happy for you. I tell my patients that all the time. When you're told there's no hope. There is... You just need to look somewhere else for it!

[rensterness 375]

I have done a donation page, anyone interested I have attached the link below. Times are hard so no hard feeling if people are not able to, just wanted to include you guys. Thanks for all the help and support!

http://walkaidefundraiser.myevent.com

[TheNewSleevedJulie 43]

I will be happy to donate when I get back home. Very proud of you for setting this up! Start plasting it everywhere!

[rensterness 375]

Thanks Jules!!! Means a lot to me! I am, I am asking people to put it on their Facebook since I do not have one, so the word is getting out there slowly but surely. Thanks again Jules!

[TheNewSleevedJulie 43]

Start a Facebook page friend! Can use it to keep people updated on your status and maybe it'd be a place for people to continue cheering you on! Best of luck

[rensterness 375]

Jules~

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! That donation and comment on the donation web page was very kind and generous of you! I can't thank you enough!!! I am thinking about doing a Facebook, sometimes there is just so much online drama that I don't even bother, I did use to have one, I think I may have to give it a whirl again! How is the post op diet going?!?

[TheNewSleevedJulie 43]

You're very welcome! I wish I could do more. I really am glad you did that page! I hope you can reach your goal.

Post op diet I have to say kind of stinks. I've been at a stand still of 16 lbs. (I know I'm losing inches though) I started going to the gym and am hopping on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes. I find some days I am so tired so I watch myself those days. I am trying to watch everything I eat and take in with sugars and carbs and I feel so guilty if I have some creamy Soup or something other than yogurt. (Trader joes has a lobster bisque soup with kinda high fat content but the Protein is really high 25-27? Grams for a cup and I add in unflavored protein if I have the soup, just for an added bonus) yesterday I tried some Wendy's chilli and I got a small and ate a little more than half of it and I got so nauseas from it but it was a nice change...I'll get it together I'm sure. It's still all new to me. I don't know how you did 80lbs in 3 months. I want to be you lol

[BrickHouse 358]

Rensterness, I shared your page on my FB... I know it's made it to Arizona and Washington state. I asked people to keep sharing it.

I am officially in a "new decade!" My scale was at 229 this morning - 35 down in 5 weeks! I have gone from a size 24 to a 16!! And it's only the beginning!

[rensterness 375]

Jules ~

Great minds think alike, Wendy's Chili was my meal for yesterday, I still have half of the cup in the fridge as of today lol. I am only able to eat about one fourth of it so I had a bit for lunch and a bit for dinner yesterday. Remember, men lose faster them women! Although I did lose a little faster then even the men tend to lol. I treat myself to stuff I shouldn't have, if I didn't I would be totally screwed. Just today I was dying for a Greek salad, so of course I needed my fix and I ordered the Greek Salad from Panera off of the kids menu. Boy were those few bites totally delicious! I knew when I are it that it wasn't Protein sufficient but I needed my 'fix'. Heck, I have even taken a few sips of diet Pepsi for a fix here and there..shhhh don't tell anyone lol. I stay %110 committed with my Water and sugar intake, and 98% with my protein. You sound like you are doing great. Your still fresh so give it time. For some they are still swollen and what not inside at 8 weeks out. My friend who is a revised patient always goes by the number on the scale and finally I said, damn it Tammy we are taking measurements and I got out my measurement and measured away, a week later did it again and she was amazed. The scale is an enemy if you ask me, I personally trashed my scale and committed to only weighing myself at the doctors. You are doing great! Keep it going!!!

[rensterness 375]

BrickHouse~

Congrats on the success! That is great news!! And thanks for sharing the web page, really appreciate it! Sounds like everyone is doing great! Now, with the bypass at what point can you go to 'normal' food? For sleeve for my program it was 4-6 weeks, depending on your success as well as the ultimate decision of the doctor. If you and Jules are ever upto it and want to meet up at a support group let me know, would love to meet more people in our situation. So glad your doing well! Keep it up!!