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Great news...made my goal of losing 100 pounds by year end.  Hit the 100 pond mark on Friday, 1 day before my 7 month surgery anniversary.  Also got my 4th band fill on Friday to make sure I'm tight for the holidays.  Good  news that I am now down 103 pounds.  Bad news, I am having isues getting fluids down...too tight.  I was fine Friday and Saturday.  Woke this morning and got sick from a small drink of water.  I was able to drink a cup of coffee slowly without issue.  Then took a drink of water and got sick again.  Hopefully it is just swelling or a slight over-fill, and not a slippage!  I'll see how it goes the rest of the day and check with the doctor tomorrow.  Anyway, still feels great to hit the century mark!  It's like the feeling of dropping two 50 pound bags of dog food off my shoulders.  155 to go.....I will do it!

After an initial weight loss (58 pounds) the first 11 weeks after surgery, I stopped journaling and hit a major plateau for 3-4 weeks.  While it may have partially been my body adjusting...a plateau....extra calories and carbs "sneaked in" from not keeping my journal.  How could this happen?  I eat basically the same thing every day.  An extra string cheese here, and extra hard boiled egg in my tuna salad there......... and voila, a plateau :-) When I started journaling last week, I realized I was between 1600 - 1800 calories a day.  But I have been exercising every day so I could eat a "few" extra calories...right???  The answer was in the scale.  With the food journal to keep me accountable, I reduced my calories to 950 - 1100 per day this week and lost 11 pounds!  I read an article about WLS patients who were most successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Number 1: Keep a routine diet.  Number 2: Exercise.  Number 3: Food Journal.  I am a believer and proof that it works.  Sounds so simple in writing.  Now the hard part......consistency and perseverance.  Will you join me in the journey?

Had my first fill last Friday...not a moment too soon.  Tough to stay on plan with no restriction.  I gained 10 pounds (water) the start of June when they took me off the water pills.  Although not a real gain, still depressing having to go through the same numbers again on the scale.  I have since lost the 10 pounds plus 3 more.  Feel great....60 pounds down since April 9th (surgery registration).  Still a long way to go, just taking it 1 day at a time.

Had my 1 week follow up with Dr Houston.  All is good.   Lost 18 pounds since surgery 5/20, 41 pounds since starting the liquid diet on 5/13, and 52 pounds since my consultation on 4/9.  More good news...Dr. H took me off 1 heart medication and reduced another by 75%!!!  Now the hard part....consistently sticking to the 600-800 calories a day with little current restriction.  So far, no problem.  Although I still want to eat until full (stuffed), I am satisfied following the plan.  Constantly have to ask myself if it is head hunder or actual hunger.  I miss my friend, stress reliever, and comforter--FOOD-- but I enjoy losing the weight and feeling better even more.  No problem getting in water (> 120 oz day) and 80+ grams of protein even without the supplements. I will pervail!!!

 The surgery went very well.  Surgery lasted about an hour and was up in my room around 10:30 am.  I was surprised how quickly (noonish) I was up and walking.  Only had a few minor gas pain issues, but would pass within a few minutes.  I walked 8x-9x before finally falling to sleep around midnight.  Amazed at all the energy considering little or no sleep the night before.

The next day I felt even better as far as the surgery went.  I did have an attack of gout in both big toes (a first) making it difficult to walk.  I had chicken broth with protein powder for breakfast, and began walking.  Was released to go home at 11 am.  I took a 3 hour nap in the afternoon.  Picked the children up from school and stopped at the Vitamin Shoppe for some supplies.  Felt a little sore and run down last night.

Today so far is all good except for the gout!

Now a special kudos to the hospital staff.  Centennial Hospital (Centennial Women's Hospital is where bariatric surgeries are done) is fantastic.  The entire staff is very friendly, competent, and helpful.  They make sure you are comfortable every step of the way.  The facilities were also great.  The room was great, more like a hotel room, with a pull out couch/bed.  There is no doubt that I made the right choice with Centennial Hospital and the Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity.

One last quick story the morning I left for surgery.  Shortly after leaving the house at 4:45 AM, I was pulled over for speeding (45 in a 30) in a known radar trap location in Franklin.  I knew better....but it was dark, early in the morning, and I was anxiously chatting away with my wife when....blue lights!  When the officer approached the car and asked what the hurry was, I responded that we were on the way to the hospital.  He then asked for what  I responded "for weight loss surgery" while patting my stomach.  The officer responded that although he had me for speeding, the WLS was most important and let me go with a verbal warning and wishing me well!  I wish I had thought to use that as a line in the past to get out of a ticket.  I know it will not be an option in the future!!! 

I am now ready for the next phase of my journey to a new me.

This is it...the first day to new way of life...a new me.  It's 4:30 AM and we are leaving for the hospital.  5:30 check-in and surgery at 7:30.  Home tommorrow.  My surgery weight was down 34 pounds since my consultation on April 9th, with 24 pounds lost in the last week while on the liquid diet.  As a OH friend having lap band surgery today in NJ said to me last night, see you on the "other side" 

18 pounds in 5 days....Amazing!   However, I was only drinking liquids (including 3 protein drinks a day) and suger free jello.  Didn't realize I should have been including some sugar (fruit juice/gatorade/regular jello) and dairy.  As a result, I almost passed out at work on Thursday after losing 16 pounds in 3 days.  I feel great after adding a few more carbs.  I am now ready for surgery next Tuesday....hope to lose a couple more pounds.

With starting my pre-surgery liquid diet Monday, I had a last hurrah in celebration of Mother's Day with Mary Frances tonight at Fleming's.  I had a filet with lobster tail.  Not as exciting as I imagined.  Don't get me wrong, it was great food.  I guess I have mentally already begun my journey.  Not so much a "final" meal as a celebration of a new, healthier start to life.  I found myself looking at the menu to practice what I would order next time I came to the restaurant....scallops, shrimp, salmon.....the size of a deck of cards.  Not too bad.  I am ready.

Had my appointment with the dietician at 1 PM today.  I struggled through the hour as we simply went through what I already read at least twice before in the nutritional guidelines of the manual, page by page.  at least we got a couple of protein samples.  Then to the Centennial Woman's Hospital for pre-registration.  A very nice facility and everyone was very friendly and helpful...and SLOW.  3 hours for very little paperwork, write a check,  and to draw blood.  Probably just grumpy having to hobble around on the broken foot.  Still exciting (and little nervous) as surgery day is less than 2 weeks away.

Shortly after talking to my WLS meeting buddy Paul last Friday night, I went out on the deck and tripped on the carpet and stepped hard on a standing candle base
in my bare foot.  Spent the weekend limping around until I went to the Bone and joint clinic today for an xray of my right foot....broken!  A "Jones Fracture", the bone on the outisde bottom that leads to the pinky toe.  1 of 2 places in the body that gets the least amount of blood flow, making healing very difficult.  I am supposed to wear a "boot", but can't drive with it so they gave me a post surgical shoe.  If not healing by my next appointment on 6/9, they will put in a screw followed by a cast.  Guess I'll do anything to get out of exercising :-)  Great timing with surgery in 2 weeks!!