DebMcD123
One Year!
Aug 09, 2008
This time last year I was heading home after my VSG, still weighing 218.5 lbs (all time high was around 250). Today I weigh 124 and have been stable between 124 and 126 (at 5' 6" ) for around two or three months. Since Katie Couric isn't here I'll interview myself for you:
Q: Deb, what do you think the key to your success was?
A: Well self, the only things I can honestly say I did on a consistent basis was to drink lots of water and avoid carbs and sugar.
Q: What was the most difficult part of this journey?
A: Getting used to things the first three months was quite challenging, after that it just became a way of life.
Q: Please don't be so vague. What exactly do you mean when you say "things".
A: I'm sorry. When I say "things" I mean how much and what to eat, breaking old habits like how fast I eat and chew, how to respond to people making comments about my size and eating habits, that sort of stuff.
Q: You lost so much, so fast. Were you ever frustrated or disappointed along the way?
A: That depends on whether or not you categorize being obsessed with sagging skin, massive hair loss, baggy clothes, and feeling like I was on a perpetual stall as being frustrated.
Q: Sounds like you have suffered my beautiful friend. How did you make it to this other side?
A: Aw shucks, thank you for the compliment. I read lots of posts from others who had gone before me. I saw how they faced the same challenges and frustrations and somehow made it through. No matter what the obstacles were along the way, I knew I'd be breaking through the winners ribbon one day and it would all be worth it.
Q: How has your life changed?
A: Let's see... I've been on three flights this summer and did not once see anyone wince as I lumbered toward their aisle. I can sit in any booth, anywhere, without being nearly gutted by the table. I haven't stood up with a chair stuck to my ass in months. My blood pressure is normal for the first time in years and I have the kind of energy I haven't felt since my prepubescent days. And also, well, it's not just the physical differences. I feel good inside too, about myself. Although, in actuality, I think the good feeling started before I had surgery and is what led me to the choice.
Q: Wow. You sound like you look down on fatness.
A: It's not that I think thin people are better than fat people, not by a long shot. I was as good a person fat as I am thin. I have friends who are big and wouldn't dream of having surgery. I respect the way they feel and love them the way they are. This is about what I wanted for me.
Q: This has been a truly amazing transformation. Where do you go from here?
A: Let's see... I went to Mexico this summer and had plastic surgery, but that's an interview for another day. At this point it's about maintaining. I don't anticipate many problems with that, if anything I've had problems stopping the weight loss. The great thing about VSG over dieting is that my stomach is permanently smaller, it won't ever be able to grow back to the size it was when I was gaining so much weight. It's a little larger than it was immediately after my surgery, but even so a little food goes a loooong way with me. As long as I stick to the low carb, low sugar, lots of water formula I anticipate keeping my current wardrobe till polyester and big collars are back in.
Q: I just want to thank you for a truly fascinating interview. I'm sure this will have me in the running for a Pulitzer.
A: My pleasure.
Q: Deb, what do you think the key to your success was?
A: Well self, the only things I can honestly say I did on a consistent basis was to drink lots of water and avoid carbs and sugar.
Q: What was the most difficult part of this journey?
A: Getting used to things the first three months was quite challenging, after that it just became a way of life.
Q: Please don't be so vague. What exactly do you mean when you say "things".
A: I'm sorry. When I say "things" I mean how much and what to eat, breaking old habits like how fast I eat and chew, how to respond to people making comments about my size and eating habits, that sort of stuff.
Q: You lost so much, so fast. Were you ever frustrated or disappointed along the way?
A: That depends on whether or not you categorize being obsessed with sagging skin, massive hair loss, baggy clothes, and feeling like I was on a perpetual stall as being frustrated.
Q: Sounds like you have suffered my beautiful friend. How did you make it to this other side?
A: Aw shucks, thank you for the compliment. I read lots of posts from others who had gone before me. I saw how they faced the same challenges and frustrations and somehow made it through. No matter what the obstacles were along the way, I knew I'd be breaking through the winners ribbon one day and it would all be worth it.
Q: How has your life changed?
A: Let's see... I've been on three flights this summer and did not once see anyone wince as I lumbered toward their aisle. I can sit in any booth, anywhere, without being nearly gutted by the table. I haven't stood up with a chair stuck to my ass in months. My blood pressure is normal for the first time in years and I have the kind of energy I haven't felt since my prepubescent days. And also, well, it's not just the physical differences. I feel good inside too, about myself. Although, in actuality, I think the good feeling started before I had surgery and is what led me to the choice.
Q: Wow. You sound like you look down on fatness.
A: It's not that I think thin people are better than fat people, not by a long shot. I was as good a person fat as I am thin. I have friends who are big and wouldn't dream of having surgery. I respect the way they feel and love them the way they are. This is about what I wanted for me.
Q: This has been a truly amazing transformation. Where do you go from here?
A: Let's see... I went to Mexico this summer and had plastic surgery, but that's an interview for another day. At this point it's about maintaining. I don't anticipate many problems with that, if anything I've had problems stopping the weight loss. The great thing about VSG over dieting is that my stomach is permanently smaller, it won't ever be able to grow back to the size it was when I was gaining so much weight. It's a little larger than it was immediately after my surgery, but even so a little food goes a loooong way with me. As long as I stick to the low carb, low sugar, lots of water formula I anticipate keeping my current wardrobe till polyester and big collars are back in.
Q: I just want to thank you for a truly fascinating interview. I'm sure this will have me in the running for a Pulitzer.
A: My pleasure.
My Plastic Surgery Sojourn
Jun 25, 2008
The first leg of my PS sojourn was to get over the attitude that plastic surgery is for self centered movie stars, freaks like Michael Jackson, and those who really need it like burn victims and breast cancer survivors. I mean, after all, beauty is on the inside, right? This has been my mantra for years, and I still believe it's true. If I were back on the dating market I would give (I hope) far more consideration to a man's inner qualities than his exterior appearance. There's no doubt I would chose an intelligent, thoughtful homely man over a buff gorgeous jack ass... for a long term arrangement anyway.
So, I asked myself, if I was in a car wreck that seriously banged up my car, but the engine was fine, would I consider it vain to spend money to get it fixed? Or, if my house looked fine on the inside, yet was in dire need of a paint job and yard work, would I consider it shallow to spend money on these cosmetic repairs? No, I answered myself, I would not consider it vain or shallow to fix up and repair something like a car or house. So, why not my own body? To answer that question you could either go to therapy or to Amazon.com and find no less than a few dozen books to consider. I'm happy to report I finally decided my own body was worth as much as a car or house to me.
The second leg of my journey was to research my options and try to find the very best care at the best price possible. Not to brag, but I am a thousand-aire, my first priority was top notch surgery, and my second was best price possible. After months of research, I decided my surgeon would be Dr. Francisco Sauceda in Monterrey, Mexico. Honestly, I could have afforded to stay in the US, but why? Dr. Sauceda is well qualified, he's board certified and trained in Mexico, Spain, and the US. He's also recommended by the popular and highly regarded weight loss surgeon, Dr. Alvarez. These guys make a living off their reputation I reasoned, why would someone like Dr. Alvarez risk his own neck by recommending someone less than the best? The deciding factor though, was Dr. Sauceda's own patient referrals. The people I talked with couldn't say enough about him or their surgery results. They reported that Monterrey was a nice modern city and that the hospital was also modern and very professional. That sold me. That, and saving about $20,000.
My American weight loss surgeon's office is probably not too unlike many that we typically encounter here. I met my surgeon once, for less than five or ten minutes at my original consultation which was mostly handled by his assistant. I might have gotten a glimpse of him the day of the surgery, I don't remember. No email I ever sent that office was acknowledged, and you practically need a degree in technology to get through to a live person when calling the office. And don't even think of calling unless you have a crossword or sudoku puzzle to kill time while you are on hold. Also, don't even think of getting me started on the office waits. I'll just say that one time, after sitting in the waiting room for thee hours, I went to the window and was assured everything was fine and I would be called soon. About five to ten minutes after I sat back down my cell phone rang. It was his office wanting to let me know I'd missed my appointment and would need to reschedule. What? I waved across the room at the lady and let her know I was there. It was nearly another hour before I finally got called in where I briefly met with one of his assistants. I'm not dis'sing the place, he's a good surgeon, and that is like a lot of doctor's offices I've been to.
Nothing could be further from that than the experience I had in Mexico with Dr. Sauceda. Right from the start he answered every email and encouraged my questions. I'm a very skeptical person but I never got the feeling he was saying only what I wanted to hear. If he didn't think something was possible he told me so. For instance, I asked him if during a lower body lift he could make my belly flat above the navel. He told me it was possible, but he would not promise till he got in there and saw the extent of the repair work that needed to be done. Just to let you know, my belly is flat above the belly button and is one of my favorite parts of the work he did. Not only did he tolerate a million questions from me and personally answer every email, he also picked me up at the airport, carried my bags, and checked me into the hospital himself! The experience at the hospital was just as good. The entire time I was there the nurses and staff treated me like I was their personal guest. That was the only real culture shock I experienced during my stay.
My surgery consisted of a lower body lift, thigh lift, and a breast lift with augmentation. I originally told him I did not want an augmentation but he explained to me that to get the results I wanted I would need an augmentation. I really didn't want my breasts to be a larger size, the augmentation was necessary to maintain the size I had, which was mostly accomplished by loose skin being wadded into my bra in the first place. I'm happy to report that my breasts look pretty much the same under clothes as they did before - if I was wearing a very supportive bra. The big difference is that when I take off my shirt and bra, instead of my breasts unfurling halfway down to my belly button, they now maintain the perky shape that they had within the bra.
The lower body and thigh lift are worth their own paragraph. I was never one of those people who gained weight that was uniformly deposited throughout my body. I would say 80 to 90% of my fat went straight to my gut. Just think of those guys who can't decide whether to buy their pants with a giant waistband size and wear them up around the belly while the legs flow like clown pants, or buy them in a trim size and wear them below the belly with a foot of crack sticking out the back. That was how I gained weight. I have a good friend who is near my same height and always weighed about the same as I did yet wore smaller sizes because her fat deposited evenly and she didn't have to fit anything over a freakishly large belly. She also didn't have to worry about giant legged pants and loose floppy necks and arm holes. Come to think of it, she wasn't being asked when the baby was due well into her forties either. I don't think I ever looked like I wasn't pregnant since my first pregnancy 21 years ago. Waking up from my plastic surgery and seeing a flat stomach was almost more than my mind could process. Two weeks later I'm still looking in the mirror and can barely believe my own eyes. When I stand or walk my whole center of balance is completely different and I haven't had any of the lower back pain that I had grown to live with while carrying around the extra baggage. The results of the surgery are nothing short of miraculous to me. I originally went in only really concerned about getting rid of the wrinkledy overhangs, I had no idea it would feel or look as good as it does. Mind you, I never expected to look 18 when I'm 48, but I didn't want to continue looking like I was 80!
I stayed in Mexico for ten days. I had read so much about PS on the internet that I had myself braced for every complication imaginable. I imagined I would be disabled, in agony, pain, and discomfort for weeks. Not so. Not that some people don't go through these things, but I was one of the fortunate ones who went off pain pills in four days and was walking to a nearby mall and visiting all the stores within a week. I had even made prior arrangements for my regular doctor in the states to take my drains out after my return, but it wasn't necessary because I didn't need them by the time I left. I realize this was due to genetic luck on my part as well as the good care I was receiving. The only problem I'm having now that I'm back home is making myself take it easy so I don't mess anything up.
I hope you enjoy the pictures I posted. I have some others to share, but I have to figure out how to photoshop out the nipples and stuff first. Even with all the drastic improvements I've undergone, I'm not one to post my naked body on the internet. I would hate to traumatize any of my former students who may come across them. If anyone has questions please PM me and I will be happy to answer anything.
So, I asked myself, if I was in a car wreck that seriously banged up my car, but the engine was fine, would I consider it vain to spend money to get it fixed? Or, if my house looked fine on the inside, yet was in dire need of a paint job and yard work, would I consider it shallow to spend money on these cosmetic repairs? No, I answered myself, I would not consider it vain or shallow to fix up and repair something like a car or house. So, why not my own body? To answer that question you could either go to therapy or to Amazon.com and find no less than a few dozen books to consider. I'm happy to report I finally decided my own body was worth as much as a car or house to me.
The second leg of my journey was to research my options and try to find the very best care at the best price possible. Not to brag, but I am a thousand-aire, my first priority was top notch surgery, and my second was best price possible. After months of research, I decided my surgeon would be Dr. Francisco Sauceda in Monterrey, Mexico. Honestly, I could have afforded to stay in the US, but why? Dr. Sauceda is well qualified, he's board certified and trained in Mexico, Spain, and the US. He's also recommended by the popular and highly regarded weight loss surgeon, Dr. Alvarez. These guys make a living off their reputation I reasoned, why would someone like Dr. Alvarez risk his own neck by recommending someone less than the best? The deciding factor though, was Dr. Sauceda's own patient referrals. The people I talked with couldn't say enough about him or their surgery results. They reported that Monterrey was a nice modern city and that the hospital was also modern and very professional. That sold me. That, and saving about $20,000.
My American weight loss surgeon's office is probably not too unlike many that we typically encounter here. I met my surgeon once, for less than five or ten minutes at my original consultation which was mostly handled by his assistant. I might have gotten a glimpse of him the day of the surgery, I don't remember. No email I ever sent that office was acknowledged, and you practically need a degree in technology to get through to a live person when calling the office. And don't even think of calling unless you have a crossword or sudoku puzzle to kill time while you are on hold. Also, don't even think of getting me started on the office waits. I'll just say that one time, after sitting in the waiting room for thee hours, I went to the window and was assured everything was fine and I would be called soon. About five to ten minutes after I sat back down my cell phone rang. It was his office wanting to let me know I'd missed my appointment and would need to reschedule. What? I waved across the room at the lady and let her know I was there. It was nearly another hour before I finally got called in where I briefly met with one of his assistants. I'm not dis'sing the place, he's a good surgeon, and that is like a lot of doctor's offices I've been to.
Nothing could be further from that than the experience I had in Mexico with Dr. Sauceda. Right from the start he answered every email and encouraged my questions. I'm a very skeptical person but I never got the feeling he was saying only what I wanted to hear. If he didn't think something was possible he told me so. For instance, I asked him if during a lower body lift he could make my belly flat above the navel. He told me it was possible, but he would not promise till he got in there and saw the extent of the repair work that needed to be done. Just to let you know, my belly is flat above the belly button and is one of my favorite parts of the work he did. Not only did he tolerate a million questions from me and personally answer every email, he also picked me up at the airport, carried my bags, and checked me into the hospital himself! The experience at the hospital was just as good. The entire time I was there the nurses and staff treated me like I was their personal guest. That was the only real culture shock I experienced during my stay.
My surgery consisted of a lower body lift, thigh lift, and a breast lift with augmentation. I originally told him I did not want an augmentation but he explained to me that to get the results I wanted I would need an augmentation. I really didn't want my breasts to be a larger size, the augmentation was necessary to maintain the size I had, which was mostly accomplished by loose skin being wadded into my bra in the first place. I'm happy to report that my breasts look pretty much the same under clothes as they did before - if I was wearing a very supportive bra. The big difference is that when I take off my shirt and bra, instead of my breasts unfurling halfway down to my belly button, they now maintain the perky shape that they had within the bra.
The lower body and thigh lift are worth their own paragraph. I was never one of those people who gained weight that was uniformly deposited throughout my body. I would say 80 to 90% of my fat went straight to my gut. Just think of those guys who can't decide whether to buy their pants with a giant waistband size and wear them up around the belly while the legs flow like clown pants, or buy them in a trim size and wear them below the belly with a foot of crack sticking out the back. That was how I gained weight. I have a good friend who is near my same height and always weighed about the same as I did yet wore smaller sizes because her fat deposited evenly and she didn't have to fit anything over a freakishly large belly. She also didn't have to worry about giant legged pants and loose floppy necks and arm holes. Come to think of it, she wasn't being asked when the baby was due well into her forties either. I don't think I ever looked like I wasn't pregnant since my first pregnancy 21 years ago. Waking up from my plastic surgery and seeing a flat stomach was almost more than my mind could process. Two weeks later I'm still looking in the mirror and can barely believe my own eyes. When I stand or walk my whole center of balance is completely different and I haven't had any of the lower back pain that I had grown to live with while carrying around the extra baggage. The results of the surgery are nothing short of miraculous to me. I originally went in only really concerned about getting rid of the wrinkledy overhangs, I had no idea it would feel or look as good as it does. Mind you, I never expected to look 18 when I'm 48, but I didn't want to continue looking like I was 80!
I stayed in Mexico for ten days. I had read so much about PS on the internet that I had myself braced for every complication imaginable. I imagined I would be disabled, in agony, pain, and discomfort for weeks. Not so. Not that some people don't go through these things, but I was one of the fortunate ones who went off pain pills in four days and was walking to a nearby mall and visiting all the stores within a week. I had even made prior arrangements for my regular doctor in the states to take my drains out after my return, but it wasn't necessary because I didn't need them by the time I left. I realize this was due to genetic luck on my part as well as the good care I was receiving. The only problem I'm having now that I'm back home is making myself take it easy so I don't mess anything up.
I hope you enjoy the pictures I posted. I have some others to share, but I have to figure out how to photoshop out the nipples and stuff first. Even with all the drastic improvements I've undergone, I'm not one to post my naked body on the internet. I would hate to traumatize any of my former students who may come across them. If anyone has questions please PM me and I will be happy to answer anything.
I'm Still Out Here
May 23, 2008
Yesterday I couldn't decide between a really cute pair of size 6 pants or a not as cute pair of size 4 pants... just because they were size 4. I got the cute ones since I figured people would think I was weird if I wore the tag on the outside anyway. I've gone from not always being able to find clothes on the rack in my size because I was too big, to not always finding clothes on the rack because I'm on the small end. It feels like I'm in the twilight zone when I'm folding little clothes and they are mine. My underwear used to be so big that once while folding clothes one of my sons shook out my underwear and told the other one to grab the other end - like it was a sheet.
Be prepared, the skin does not melt off like the fat does. It stays exactly the same size and looks as gross as it sounds. At least you can put those little clothes on and hide it fairly well, but if you were planning on running around on a nude beach, think again. I mean, you can do it if you want to and you will get double takes... just not with the type of facial expression you were hoping you would get. If I were running around nekkid with a bag on my head, you might think I was 112 years old.
So anyway, it won't come as a surprise that I'm going to Mexico in June to have some billows of excess skin hacked off. I'm having a lower body lift and, if that is going fine, Dr. Sauceda will go ahead and do a breast lift too. He said he may need to augment my breasts to make them look right. I'm hoping he doesn't need to, or at least it's not very much. I'm dreaming of the day when I won't need wire contraptions strapped on with tight elastic bands in order to keep my breasts semi-presentable. I'd love to slip on one of those light little training style bras and be good to go. I'll check back in some time after the operation.
Be prepared, the skin does not melt off like the fat does. It stays exactly the same size and looks as gross as it sounds. At least you can put those little clothes on and hide it fairly well, but if you were planning on running around on a nude beach, think again. I mean, you can do it if you want to and you will get double takes... just not with the type of facial expression you were hoping you would get. If I were running around nekkid with a bag on my head, you might think I was 112 years old.
So anyway, it won't come as a surprise that I'm going to Mexico in June to have some billows of excess skin hacked off. I'm having a lower body lift and, if that is going fine, Dr. Sauceda will go ahead and do a breast lift too. He said he may need to augment my breasts to make them look right. I'm hoping he doesn't need to, or at least it's not very much. I'm dreaming of the day when I won't need wire contraptions strapped on with tight elastic bands in order to keep my breasts semi-presentable. I'd love to slip on one of those light little training style bras and be good to go. I'll check back in some time after the operation.
The Flip Flopped
Feb 16, 2008
See all the parts of my hair flipping up? That's all gone now. If you take two fingers and cover up from my jaw down that's the new doo. It had to be done. I lost quite a bit of hair during the quickest part of my weight loss. The ends started looking scraggly and the top has lots of two inch hairs surrounding my head like a fuzzy halo. So I chopped it and although my neck feels exposed and vulnerable my hair looks fuller. Although I feel I could be easily throttled at any moment I know I'll have a nice head of hair at the funeral. Anyway, I curled that hair under everyday for months and it would flip up within an hour, so to hell with it.
I am now officially at the top end of the doctor's chart "normal" weight range for my height and age. I'm wearing a loose ten and if I get the folds of left over skin cut off I'd be a six or eight. I've actually had four people tell me I need to stop losing. Yes, I know that many busy bodies.
Here's my advice to those still on the uphill side of the journey:
1. You WILL have stalls! Don't doubt it! My weight came off very erratically. My eating habits have been consistent and sometimes I wouldn't lose for weeks, then suddenly I'd lose a lot real fast. It was never a smooth predictable process. EVERY single time my weight loss slowed I freaked and thought it was all over. When I think back on the whole process it seems like I was never losing weight and was in a perpetual stall. Don't sweat it, if you are eating right it will come off unless you are a freak of nature.
2. Try to find something, besides gambling or internet sex, to replace the food. For some of us food was a very important coping mechanism. It helped us feel comforted, nurtured, or rewarded when we needed it. Personally, I now find it very rewarding to get online and read these posts. I've also had fun bargain hunting for clothes along the way and I've been doing some painting and redecorating around the house. Anything that feels rewarding to me. You may have to consciously determine what food meant to you and what can replace it. If you are still having unreasonable cravings you can't control, it may not actually be the food that you need. Becoming self-aware is a huge part of long term success. Not that I'm long term yet :-) or totally self-aware for that matter.
3. If I eat carbs, I crave carbs. That's how it is for me. I'm like an AA person who must totally avoid all forms of alcohol. I am fine if I avoid them, but if I somehow exceed a certain amount, I'm hungry, deprived feeling, and craving sweets and more carbs. Some people don't experience that, but for me that's the way it is. Also, a very dear friend of mine who had by-pass started upping her carbs in order to slow the weight loss down and now she is back up nearly 70 lbs. She pretty much lives on carbs.
So anyway, if a friend of mine was having this surgery these are three of the things I'd want to pass along. I'm sure as soon as I save this message I'll think of three more, for me these were the biggies.
I am now officially at the top end of the doctor's chart "normal" weight range for my height and age. I'm wearing a loose ten and if I get the folds of left over skin cut off I'd be a six or eight. I've actually had four people tell me I need to stop losing. Yes, I know that many busy bodies.
Here's my advice to those still on the uphill side of the journey:
1. You WILL have stalls! Don't doubt it! My weight came off very erratically. My eating habits have been consistent and sometimes I wouldn't lose for weeks, then suddenly I'd lose a lot real fast. It was never a smooth predictable process. EVERY single time my weight loss slowed I freaked and thought it was all over. When I think back on the whole process it seems like I was never losing weight and was in a perpetual stall. Don't sweat it, if you are eating right it will come off unless you are a freak of nature.
2. Try to find something, besides gambling or internet sex, to replace the food. For some of us food was a very important coping mechanism. It helped us feel comforted, nurtured, or rewarded when we needed it. Personally, I now find it very rewarding to get online and read these posts. I've also had fun bargain hunting for clothes along the way and I've been doing some painting and redecorating around the house. Anything that feels rewarding to me. You may have to consciously determine what food meant to you and what can replace it. If you are still having unreasonable cravings you can't control, it may not actually be the food that you need. Becoming self-aware is a huge part of long term success. Not that I'm long term yet :-) or totally self-aware for that matter.
3. If I eat carbs, I crave carbs. That's how it is for me. I'm like an AA person who must totally avoid all forms of alcohol. I am fine if I avoid them, but if I somehow exceed a certain amount, I'm hungry, deprived feeling, and craving sweets and more carbs. Some people don't experience that, but for me that's the way it is. Also, a very dear friend of mine who had by-pass started upping her carbs in order to slow the weight loss down and now she is back up nearly 70 lbs. She pretty much lives on carbs.
So anyway, if a friend of mine was having this surgery these are three of the things I'd want to pass along. I'm sure as soon as I save this message I'll think of three more, for me these were the biggies.
Me Again
Nov 03, 2007
Wow, I guess I'm not really the best at keeping track of my weight loss. I was REALLY surprised when I realized I've lost 12 lbs since my last post. I honestly thought I was on a stall and had not lost weight in the last few weeks. Guess that's what you get when you weigh too often. It's kind of like how people who see you every day don't see the dramatic change in your size like someone who hasn't seen you since before the surgery. One weird thing is that my clothing size did not really change at all in the first 35 lbs, but during the last ten lbs I have gone down two sizes. I've gone from a 16W to a regular 14.
Note to self: Quit telling people how much I weigh and what size I am. Try to remember the days when you and your friends were all having babies and immodestly spreading for anyone who walked by in a white coat, showing each other pics of giving birth, nursing in front of grandpa, and talking about episiotomy stitches in the break room at work. Never ever forget the day cousin Tina showed the delivery room video at Thanksgiving. Think of how horrified she gets at herself each Thanksgiving when it inevitably gets brought up even NINETEEN years later. Self, always remember that when you are not in that moment of being all caught up in it, you look back and think, "Did I REALLY show Uncle George a picture of the baby's head crowning?" Learn a lesson from those days and QUIT telling people how much I weigh and what size I wear! Someday I may be horrified that everyone knows my private business.
Note to self: Quit telling people how much I weigh and what size I am. Try to remember the days when you and your friends were all having babies and immodestly spreading for anyone who walked by in a white coat, showing each other pics of giving birth, nursing in front of grandpa, and talking about episiotomy stitches in the break room at work. Never ever forget the day cousin Tina showed the delivery room video at Thanksgiving. Think of how horrified she gets at herself each Thanksgiving when it inevitably gets brought up even NINETEEN years later. Self, always remember that when you are not in that moment of being all caught up in it, you look back and think, "Did I REALLY show Uncle George a picture of the baby's head crowning?" Learn a lesson from those days and QUIT telling people how much I weigh and what size I wear! Someday I may be horrified that everyone knows my private business.
Update
Sep 25, 2007
Okay, seven weeks and 33 lbs. I got really used to losing nearly a pound a day... it seemed like a real beating to go down to a pound every three days. I just keep reminding myself that I was gaining 2 or 3 lbs a month no matter what I did. Imagine where I'd be Aug 8, 2008 (my surgiversary) if I hadn't done this surgery. When I was losing so fast and read people's posts on stalls I was thinking, oh well, that's natural, it's going to happen. I haven't even stalled yet and I'm moaning over not losing a pound a day!
People at work are really starting to notice. I haven't kept it a secret and other heavy women have been sneaking by my classroom to secretly give me the third degree about it. I feel like I'm evangelizing on the sly, but I'm so happy with it I enjoy talking about it. One woman confessed that she's had the lap band and was lamenting that she hasn't lost any weight. This is a woman who comes to school every day with a large Dairy Queen blizzard and leaves at lunchtime to get a sack of fast food every day. She asked me if I thought she ought to revise to the sleeve since lap band doesn't work. Talk about feeling on the spot. I told her she might want to get with her dr to figure out why it wasn't working for her before she goes through another operation. What could I say? Anyway, it was a real reminder to pay attention to what goes in our mouths. Even if it is small portions, they can add up if you don't make wise choices.
People at work are really starting to notice. I haven't kept it a secret and other heavy women have been sneaking by my classroom to secretly give me the third degree about it. I feel like I'm evangelizing on the sly, but I'm so happy with it I enjoy talking about it. One woman confessed that she's had the lap band and was lamenting that she hasn't lost any weight. This is a woman who comes to school every day with a large Dairy Queen blizzard and leaves at lunchtime to get a sack of fast food every day. She asked me if I thought she ought to revise to the sleeve since lap band doesn't work. Talk about feeling on the spot. I told her she might want to get with her dr to figure out why it wasn't working for her before she goes through another operation. What could I say? Anyway, it was a real reminder to pay attention to what goes in our mouths. Even if it is small portions, they can add up if you don't make wise choices.
After the Surgery Update
Sep 01, 2007
It has been 3 weeks since my surgery. My energy is almost back... almost. I get tired earlier in the evenings than I used to. I'm sure that had nothing to do with the fact that it was the first week back at school, and I started two new evening college courses, and we had meet the teacher night. Actually, I'm surprised at how easy it has all been. The hardest part is drinking water. I've been a Diet Coke fiend for years. I have cheated awnd had Snapple. I heard it doesn't count as liquid because of the caffeine.
The first week was a bit rough, really just the first three days. Then there was an adjustment period, when everyone else was eating and I had a third of a cup of broth I could barely choke down, I had a few food withdrawals. It wasn't so much the food I missed, it was more the routine. Now that I'm in my third week, mushy food phase, the challenge is learning how much I can and can't eat. My lap-band friend kept telling me I could eat anything I wanted by now if I chewed it to a pulp. I got a crab cake, ate a third of it, and spent the next three nights in heartburn agony.
My focus though is on the weight loss not the food loss. I've lost 23 lbs in 3 weeks. I don't know if that is good compared to everyone else or not. I was 80 lbs overweight and I think people who are bigger lose more at first. My theory anyway. Probably if I could gag down more water I could improve it. But I'm not complaining. I'm thrilled to lose every ounce.
BTW... the surgery was my 25th wedding anniversary from my husband. He wanted to take me to Europe, or get me the diamond ring I never really had. He thought I'd be blown away by those choices, but without a moments hesitation I told him what I really want is weight loss surgery. He was happy that I was happy and guess what... he got me a ring anyway. Not the Hope diamond by any means, but it won't need to be that big to show up on slimmer fingers.
The first week was a bit rough, really just the first three days. Then there was an adjustment period, when everyone else was eating and I had a third of a cup of broth I could barely choke down, I had a few food withdrawals. It wasn't so much the food I missed, it was more the routine. Now that I'm in my third week, mushy food phase, the challenge is learning how much I can and can't eat. My lap-band friend kept telling me I could eat anything I wanted by now if I chewed it to a pulp. I got a crab cake, ate a third of it, and spent the next three nights in heartburn agony.
My focus though is on the weight loss not the food loss. I've lost 23 lbs in 3 weeks. I don't know if that is good compared to everyone else or not. I was 80 lbs overweight and I think people who are bigger lose more at first. My theory anyway. Probably if I could gag down more water I could improve it. But I'm not complaining. I'm thrilled to lose every ounce.
BTW... the surgery was my 25th wedding anniversary from my husband. He wanted to take me to Europe, or get me the diamond ring I never really had. He thought I'd be blown away by those choices, but without a moments hesitation I told him what I really want is weight loss surgery. He was happy that I was happy and guess what... he got me a ring anyway. Not the Hope diamond by any means, but it won't need to be that big to show up on slimmer fingers.
