ibeanniebe
Send Message
Block
Add Friend

Has it really been this long?

Dec 21, 2009

Wow! Its been a year since I wrote here in this blog. Over the last year I have been through a gazillion changes. My weight is down over half of my highest known weight of 320 pounds. I am just slightly overweight and I can wear size 8 and maybe size 6 by the time I get to Walmart to buy new jeans. I was able to handle a very physical job working in a Doggy Day Care until I financially was forced to find a 'real' job. But it was totally fun while it lasted. I still am able to keep to a healthy eating plan in spite of the desk job I landed and have lost an additional 20 or so pounds since I started that job. I had the energy to help move my entire household over the summer into a new residence which I never had before. Thank goodness for the movers we had in the past because we would never have gotten it done if I had been responsible for it then. But now I can tackle just about anything as long as I eat right and drink plenty of fluids. I flew on a plane all the way to Seattle from Raleigh in October and was comfortable all the way. I needed no tram ride at my layover change planes parts of the trip and made it from one side of the airport to the other on foot without even being winded. Pretty good for a 52 year old woman don't you think? Four years ago I felt like an old woman but I don't so much anymore. In November I took my very first Amtrak ride from here (Greensboro) to Atlanta to attend the OH event and had a wonderful time with many of the folks I see everyday here on OH. I didn't have to board my train until Sunday evening so I walked all over downtown Atlanta and took in the sights. It was interesting. I visited the Coca Cola museum and enjoyed the history stuff they had to offer. Yes I did taste a few of the flavors they had to offer in the tasting room. No worries I walked it off for sure that day. My life has certainly changed in many ways and I am not unhappy about most of them. My DH does need to find a job but he's not wasting his time while looking. He is taking courses online in case he needs to change industries. My adult children are all thankfully healthy and somewhat gainfully employed for the most part. The rest are well on the way to gainful employment so I can't ask for more than that. My dogs are healthy and frisky as usual. It has been a good year even though its been occasionally not what we planned. I have grown to love and appreciate several new friends this past year and hope to continue learn more about and from them over the next year. I hope also to become more helpful to others at the beginning of their journeys if I can.
0 comments

Progress since surgery

Dec 21, 2008

I have a spreadsheet that I have been updating monthly since I had my surgery.
Date 9/21/2008 10/20/2008 11/22/2008 12/21/2008
Measurements



Waist 46 44 43 41.75
Hips 54.5 53 52.5 48.5
Neck 16.5 15.5 15.5 14.75
right upper arm 18 16.5 16.5 16.25
left upper arm 18.5 16.5 16.5 16.25
bust 45.5 44 42.6 41.75
right thigh 30 26 26.5 24.25
left thigh 29.75 26 25.5 24
Right Calf 19.5 18.5 18 17
Left Calf 19.25 18.25 17.5 17
right Ankle 12.25 11.5 11.5 10.75
left ankle 12.25 11.5 11.5 10.75
right wrist 7.5 7.25 7.25 7.25
left wrist 7.5 7.25 7.25 7.25
Weight 253 237.5 226 210
I think this tells my story so far pretty well. I can't find the words to describe how good this feels to see it in black and white!

1 comment

I guess its time to catch up ya think?

Oct 25, 2008

On Monday it will have been 5 weeks since I had my surgery. I really can't complain much at all and I don't think I have any regrets. I had an unremrkable surgery and am having an unremarkable recovery. I am shrinking both in pounds and inches and have nearly no clothes that fit anymore. Not the worse problem to have. I have no pain anymore although I did have disconfort for about 2 and a half weeks. I have been back to my water aerobics this past week and am trying to work back up to it being easy again. I am carefully taking all of my suppliments hopefully as they should be taken and I am doing pretty well with getting enough fluids. I am also doing pretty well with my protein. I just take it slow and minute by minute and don't really worry about it.
Here is some really good news. I no longer have acid reflux and I don't need metformine any longer and my blood sugar levels are normal all the time. I also don't need to take the nexium and previcid anymore. I still rarely feel hungry. I am gaining more energy to do things daily although I still tire easily. What I actually mean is I can get going and last a lot longer than before on acticities but when I get tired I really get tired. But I am fortunate that I am a pampered housewife and the little job I have is only part time so I have plenty of time to rest still.
My stay at my hospital was pleasant considering that I had major surgery. The nurses treated me very well and I would not hesitate to go to that same facility for anything else if I needed to.
So there is nothing exciting to report and as far as I am concerned that is the way it should be.

Getting close and feeling like I will make it this time!

Sep 17, 2008

In just 5 days I will be having my surgery finally. It seems like forever and I want to eat everything in sight and everything I think of right now but I am mostly sticking to my presurgery diet. I am cheating by eating oatmeal in the morning though so that my sugar level stays up or otherwise I feel a little low even though the reading is normal. Thats because I am used to a little higher than normal levels. I am not taking any more metformin because if I do then I really get lower than 70 and that really feels strange. My toes don't tingle when my sugars stay below 100 all day and I like that.
Tomorrow I am going to go out to eat a steak dinner with my DH and maybe the DDs. I won't have a potato like I normally would have a few years ago pre-diabetes but the diet I am on allows for 3 - 4 ounces of lean meat and a salad with low fat dressing. I can easily get that at a resteraunt so I am looking forward to it. I am pretty sure steak will be off my menu for quite a while after so I am going to eat slowly and savour every bite. Starting Friday I am going clear liquids and Sunday I will do the famous prep. At least I have experience with that from having my colonoscopy last year. I know what to expect and I am prepared for it. THen very early Monday morning I will arrive at the hospital at 5:15 am (probably a few minutes earlier) and let them take it from there. I suppose I should be at the very least appehensive but I am not, at least not so far. It may be that I took so long to come to this decision and feel like the odds are in my favor to have a great outcome. Even if I can't get to skinny I will get to be healthier and I should have no more diabetes to deal with for a very long time if ever. I believe I will be one of the lcky ones to resolve my diabetes because I nearly have it resolved just by not eating carbs for 1 week and a half. If only I could do this by myself but who can? I like meat but not as a sole source of nourishment. The protein shake/drinks are not exactly wonderful but I found a couple that I can stand and I feel that I will find more to like after. THe good thing is DH loves this kind of stuff and will take care of consuming anything I purchase that I don't like. So I guess that makes us a good team. Maybe he will drop a few pounds with me. He doesn't need to take off much ( maybe 20 - 25 pounds) so I won't push him to do it. I have a feeling it will just happen as I go along. He had all the sympathy symtoms when I was pregnant so why not now LOL!
Thanks for reading my ramblings. I just knew I could say anything that comes to mind here since this is my journal and its is all about me right?

My closet is much lighter now.

Aug 17, 2008

I went through all of my FAT clothes and chucked everything that is too big. For the first time in my life I have gotten rid of clothes that don't fit due to weight loss instead of weight gain. All the 28s are gone and though there aren't many I have sizes 22s and a couple of 18s that I hope will fit soon enough. I think Goodwill got about 100 pounds of clothes today. I did keep my winter coat even though its big for me because I want to replace it first and I don't want to do that until maybe November or December and I have no idea what size it will be. Its kind of exciting in a way. I also have less problem with fitting the clothes I have left into the closet and I can see them all and decide what to wear easier. Just looking in my closet now makes me feel lighter.

Appointments shifting

Aug 13, 2008

I have been getting phone calls about reminders for appointmentd I had scheduled related to this surgery and have been busy rescheduling according to my new due date. It really is frustrating to know that I was supposed to already be on the mend from my surgery now and here I am still waiting and dreading having to start that diet all over again. Right now I am concentrating on not losing the ground I am on from the 1 and a half weeks of pre surgery dieting. This next time though I will not be outside of normal routine. I won't be throwing a party for anyone and I won't be entertaining family from out of town. I think I will be able to just get into a rhythm with it and do better. I also won't have a cake staring at me in the fridge everytime I open it either LOL!

Almost feeling better

Aug 05, 2008

I still have a productive cough but it isn't yucky anymore. My voice hasn't come back yet but its better and breathing is much better. My PCP is on vacation this week but I will go see her next week to follow up. I could go see my asthma doctor. I really want avoid having to take prednisone that my PCP wants to put me on for 6 days. On a brighter note I am still losing weight even though I quit doing the preop diet for awhile. I actually can do better without the high protein low carb two week diet as far as losing. The high protein causes constipation and hangs on to the weight. Sorry TMI.

Surgery Postponed!

Aug 01, 2008

Due to a serious  bout with  bronchitis  and a conspiracy between my PCP and Surgeon my surgery has been postponed until September 22, 2008. But It is still going to happen just not this Monday dang it!

4 days before surgery

Jul 30, 2008

I have 4 days left to surgery day and I am really sick. I went to the hospital for my preop appointment on Monday and had been experiencing a sore throat with earache and told them about it. They felt it was viral and said not to worry. I also had to run and pick up my husband at a different hospital a few blocks away as he was also having a preop appointment of sorts. So I put off calling my PCP about my sore throat hoping it was indeed viral. On Tuesday I took my DH to his 'surgery', a heart catheterization procedure to check for blockages. We were there all morning and got the good news that he had no blockages and he has the type of cardiomyopathy that is not usually fatal as long as he doesn't take up Olympic sports competitivley. He is to continue with his non sedentary but non athletic lifestyle and take a medication to gently slow his heartbeat. He never has more than about 10 or 15 pounds to lose and usually stays within the normal weight range for his height and age the dang dirty dog he is LOL! And his health is pretty good too. Well he does have to take it easy for 48 hours but then he is good to go. And as of 2 pm this afternoon its all about me again. But needless to say I did not get a chance to call my PCP about the sore throat but it was beginning to diminish so I was thinking I am in the clear anyway. I went to bed Tuesday night feeling not to well in the tummy but I figured I could sleep in and would feel better next morning. My acid reflux reared its ugly head during the night and I suddenly sat up choking and fighting to clear my throat of the burning sensation. I had asperated and it never goes well after that happens. I had had this under control with meds for a while but I guess with all the stress and worry of my DH's venture with the medical community was just a little too much. I got myself under control and put my wedgie pillow under my regular pillow and went back to sleep. When I woke up Wednesday morning I had all teh pain and discomfort of bronchitis and knew it was going to be fun. I called my Dr's office but she has hospital duty on Wednesdays and I could not get an appointment with her untill today (Thursday am). I called surgeon's office and they told me that they would call me should my surgeon want to see me before my PCP does. They did not call back so I will get into my PCP this morning. I really hope this will not postpone my surgery. The Surgeon's nurse told me that it would be the Anesthesiologist's call on the day of surgery whether or not it would be postponed. Hopefully my PCP will be able to prescribe a realy strong antibiotic to get this cleared up enough for my surgery. I wouldn't mind feeling better while I'm at it. This really sucks. I guess the good thing about it is that I don't have time to stress about the surgery itself because I have this illness to concentrate on. I hate being sick!

Second day of presurgical diet

Jul 21, 2008

I am hungry but not too bad. I got on the scale to find I actually dropped 3.5 pounds since Saturday. That may be because my TOM finished up last week and the rest of the water weight has left. But it still is good none the less and moving in the right direction. My blood sugars are actually normal. I guess low carb does really work in that area. I knew that but I hate not eating fruit. I have already pretty much given up breads, pastas, candy, cookies and ice cream for a long time. Not being able to eat fruit is not fun. I am also having a hard time with the protein drinks but I am not worried about that since I know what I find I like now may change after the surgery. And its only two weeks from today. I know the time will fly after tomorrow because I will have the grandbabies to keep me busy. But right now that seems an eternity away.
About Me
NM
Location
28.3
BMI
RNY
Surgery
09/22/2008
Surgery Date
Mar 06, 2008
Member Since
Friends 73
Latest Blog 12
I guess its time to catch up ya think?
Getting close and feeling like I will make it this time!
My closet is much lighter now.
Appointments shifting
Almost feeling better
Surgery Postponed!
4 days before surgery
Second day of presurgical diet
×