Well, I survived Christmas! Life has been so crazy. We did a Christmas unit study during the month of December for homeschool and I tried really hard to focus on getting better and doing what I was supposed to do as far as diet and exercise. I honestly feel like this was the best Christmas yet. It was stress free. There was no drama. Amazing...
At one month post-surgery, I am down 36lbs. I'm so excited and proud of myself! The 23rd of December was one month, my dads 51st birthday, and the first day I ate actual food!!! We had a family dinner with Michaels extended part of his moms family. I had turkey, mashed potatoes, & green beans. It was yummy! The hardest thing to remember is to eat and chew as slowly as I can.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I can't wait to go to the gym tomorrow!!!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Awesome moment
My awesome moment for this weekend. Cuddled up to the hubby last night and he puts his arm around me and says...oh my god, you feel so much smaller. I also am outta my "fat" jeans and the next size down are a little loose. I have lost two sizes AROUND in my bra size. Sadly, none in the cup size. My feet are smaller too!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Battle of the Bulge-Going Backwards
Update!!! I have lost 29 lbs as of this morning!!! I'm soooo excited. My rings don't fit. My clothes don't fit. It hasn't even been a month!
It hasn't been an easy week. I'm extremely exhausted. Pneumonia kicks your booty! I also had graduated to the stage 2 of food in the Bariatric Diet. However, I am now lactose intolerant and most of those foods are creamy soups, etc. Pam, the sweet nurse that she is and I agreed that I should go back to G-2 Gatorade and slowly add things not dairy. I've had to be a little creative. Right now, instant mashed potatoes are my BFF. Oatmeal made w/ water and thinned down with NF yogurt is yummy. (yogurt I have to eat every day and it seems it's the only dairy I can tolerate. Just can't eat much of it.). Since I have done this no more gas bubbles, no more "rocks" in my new tummy and best of all no more throwing up! I know that may be TMI, but since I aspirated and got pneumonia that way I have been TERRIFIED I will do it again. I also quit trying to eat at mealtimes. I eat a little bit at a time when I am hungry. It works out better for me and I feel so much better! I think I have pretty much got the small sips and bites now. ;-). Of course the toddler plates, bowls, and silverware without a doubt help.
I know some of my friends that read this are signed up for surgery or considering it. Don't get discouraged. There WILL be bumps in the road but if you have a positive outlook it makes things so much easier. You're gonna get bored eating the same things. Change it up. Create new flavors. My favorite protein shake is 1 scoop of whey protein, 2-3 oz of NF yogurt, & 8 oz of water. Non fat, sugar free cheesecake pudding mix added to ANYTHING ROCKS. You're gonna get sick of G-2. Especially if you develop thrush. (which is very common). I recommend mixing the flavors, making jello with G-2, or adding a tiny bit of juice, etc. I personally like the "weird" flavors. Ones that you may not normally drink. The blueberry-promegranate & raspberry melon are nice changes when you get sick of the others. When I take my citracell twice a day I mix with orange g-2 Gatorade. I get electrolytes and it tastes a whole lot better than mixed with water.
Keeping a food diary will make or break you. I suggest investing in a nice one. It really makes a difference. I got mine at Barnes and Nobles. I also got a pocket sized restaurant guide also that includes regular foods too. It's amazing what these tools can do to make your life easier. I also made little cheat sheets. Index cards for when we go grocery shopping reminding me what what to eat at what stage, all my vitamins and meds, and the things in the Bariatric "Bible" I'm supposed to remember. This really helps me. Maybe it will work for you, even if you aren't having surgery just seeking a lifestyle change or wanting to loose weight. My favorite favorite did I mention FAVE thing (aside from having the surgery of course) is the app on my iPhone called "My fitness pal". You can access them on the web also at myfitnesspal.com, follow them on twitter or read their blog. I highly recommend it.
I'm loving my new self and I'm trying to make positive changes all the way around. I feel like I've been given this wonderful tool and I want to use it to the fullest extent. In just two short weeks I've had some up and downs, but I feel better than I have in years, my family is happier b/c I'm happier and I hope others can see it too. I know I am extremely lucky to have such wonderful family, friends, and the people at the Bariatric Clinic. I am forever grateful for you guys. This sounds so corny but I had my surgery the day before Thanksgiving. I may have missed that holiday b/c I wasn't able to take part in the celebration with family and friends but every day seems like Thanksgiving now. I have so much to be thankful for.
I'm happy to share my story so far so if you have any questions just ask! I can't wait till I'm well enough to go back to the gym and the support group.
~Amber
It hasn't been an easy week. I'm extremely exhausted. Pneumonia kicks your booty! I also had graduated to the stage 2 of food in the Bariatric Diet. However, I am now lactose intolerant and most of those foods are creamy soups, etc. Pam, the sweet nurse that she is and I agreed that I should go back to G-2 Gatorade and slowly add things not dairy. I've had to be a little creative. Right now, instant mashed potatoes are my BFF. Oatmeal made w/ water and thinned down with NF yogurt is yummy. (yogurt I have to eat every day and it seems it's the only dairy I can tolerate. Just can't eat much of it.). Since I have done this no more gas bubbles, no more "rocks" in my new tummy and best of all no more throwing up! I know that may be TMI, but since I aspirated and got pneumonia that way I have been TERRIFIED I will do it again. I also quit trying to eat at mealtimes. I eat a little bit at a time when I am hungry. It works out better for me and I feel so much better! I think I have pretty much got the small sips and bites now. ;-). Of course the toddler plates, bowls, and silverware without a doubt help.
I know some of my friends that read this are signed up for surgery or considering it. Don't get discouraged. There WILL be bumps in the road but if you have a positive outlook it makes things so much easier. You're gonna get bored eating the same things. Change it up. Create new flavors. My favorite protein shake is 1 scoop of whey protein, 2-3 oz of NF yogurt, & 8 oz of water. Non fat, sugar free cheesecake pudding mix added to ANYTHING ROCKS. You're gonna get sick of G-2. Especially if you develop thrush. (which is very common). I recommend mixing the flavors, making jello with G-2, or adding a tiny bit of juice, etc. I personally like the "weird" flavors. Ones that you may not normally drink. The blueberry-promegranate & raspberry melon are nice changes when you get sick of the others. When I take my citracell twice a day I mix with orange g-2 Gatorade. I get electrolytes and it tastes a whole lot better than mixed with water.
Keeping a food diary will make or break you. I suggest investing in a nice one. It really makes a difference. I got mine at Barnes and Nobles. I also got a pocket sized restaurant guide also that includes regular foods too. It's amazing what these tools can do to make your life easier. I also made little cheat sheets. Index cards for when we go grocery shopping reminding me what what to eat at what stage, all my vitamins and meds, and the things in the Bariatric "Bible" I'm supposed to remember. This really helps me. Maybe it will work for you, even if you aren't having surgery just seeking a lifestyle change or wanting to loose weight. My favorite favorite did I mention FAVE thing (aside from having the surgery of course) is the app on my iPhone called "My fitness pal". You can access them on the web also at myfitnesspal.com, follow them on twitter or read their blog. I highly recommend it.
I'm loving my new self and I'm trying to make positive changes all the way around. I feel like I've been given this wonderful tool and I want to use it to the fullest extent. In just two short weeks I've had some up and downs, but I feel better than I have in years, my family is happier b/c I'm happier and I hope others can see it too. I know I am extremely lucky to have such wonderful family, friends, and the people at the Bariatric Clinic. I am forever grateful for you guys. This sounds so corny but I had my surgery the day before Thanksgiving. I may have missed that holiday b/c I wasn't able to take part in the celebration with family and friends but every day seems like Thanksgiving now. I have so much to be thankful for.
I'm happy to share my story so far so if you have any questions just ask! I can't wait till I'm well enough to go back to the gym and the support group.
~Amber
Friday, December 9, 2011
I almost forgot!
Regardless of what has happened the surgery was totally worth it. I'm wearing clothes that didn't fit and I'm down 26 lbs!!! I hope to be 30 lbs own by Christmas! The whole being in the hospital was God telling me to ake it easy. Slow own. Just a little bump in the road...and another day in the life of me.
Post-Surgery Week 2
So, I'm a little behind. Two weeks after surgery was Wednesday but who's counting. Well, I'm feeling much better now. Saturday was a scary day. Woke up with a fever. Felt terrible. Went to urgent care and then the ER. My white blood cell count was 22.0. It's supposed to be 10. It was only 14 when I has swine flu a couple of years ago o yeah, I was freaking out. I just knew I had an abcess or a leak from my surgery and that I was dying. I dont usually freak out like that but I was so sick and in so much pain...I just couldn't get a grip. I had a CT scan of my abdomen as soon as I got to the ER. My stomach looked great but there was fluid in my lower left lung. Evident ally I has aspirated when I got sick to my stomach and ad gotten pneumonia. They did a chest x-ray and admitted me ight away. I have never been so happy to have pneumonia. I have a bad case of it but THANK GOD I didn't have to be opened up to have surgery. So, when I realized I wasn't dying :-) I felt better. A big thanks to Allison Ingram & Lindsey Cox for helping me with the kiddo. I don't know what I would have one without you guys. I was a bit shocked when they put me on the 7th floor and hooked me up to oxygen and a heart monitor. Evident ally my heart was bein silly as was my oxygen levels. I finally got to move to the 6th floor Monday night. I didn't have to be monitored anymore and a lot of the nurses recognized me from when I had my surgery. I got quite a few hugs and well wishes when I left. It was very difficult being in the hospital a week and a half after surgery. Pneumonia exhausts you. I'm not used to "resting" either. I'm sure I want be myself for a couple of weeks. I think I'm just gonna rest and take it easy the rest of December. Enjoy my family. Enjoy my friends. Concentrate on getting better.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Side effects & changes
It's only been a week today that I've had surgery. I can honestly say this has by far been one of the best experiences of my life. I actually went out to eat with the family the other day and because I mentally prepared myself it didn't bother me at all. I got my staples out Monday. They said I was doing Awesome! Doing all the right things. As of Monday I had lost 21 lbs. It is really exciting. My body feels different. Clothes fit different. My stamina is crazy. I worked out Wednesday for the first time. Exactly one week after. I wasn't able to do as much as normal but only because my sugar got low. :-). Otherwise I'm sure I could have made it another 20 min on the treadmill. I ended up working out 45 min straight. Not too bad...
Forgot to post.
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