Got Sicker...Now Getting Better ...

Well, my last post was almost a year ago.  Since then, I have been through quite an ordeal.  The stricture in my stomach occurred where the small intestine attached.  I had to have 6 different EGD's.  Long story short, it worked and I went from an 18 BMI and a size 4-6 at 109lbs., to 125 and I am feeling human again.  I still have the ulcer, but Nexium is helping to heal it.  Dr. Evans ended up taking several staples out of my stomach.  I still don't regret it at all and the quality of my life is so much better now that I am slender.

I Hit A Snafu...

Well, it has been awhile since I have written.  I have been a little bit sick.  I did have the gallbladder out in Feb of this year and then foot surgery in April, but since then, I guess starting around August, I started getting sick and having problems keeping my food down.  I also developed diverticulitits, and a stomach ulcer.  The ulcer caused me to throw up almost daily and developed some scar tissue around the connection of my esophogas and stomach and that is called a stricture.  So, because of that, stringy food has a hard time getting down.  Those foods include chicken, BBQ, steak, etc.  Which most of those foods are my main source of protein, which is a BIG problem.  I also developed some lactose intolerance.  Because of this, I have lost down to 116lbs.  I went to see Dr. McNatt about this as well as a Gastroenterologist.  The gastro Dr. wanted to do a colonoscopy.  Dr. McNatt wants to do an endoscopy to use the balloon to stretch the esoghopas.  Right now, I have decided to hold off and see if it corrects itself.  This happened to my friend Rob.  BUT, if I loose much more, I won't have any choice as my BMI is at 20.  Dr. McNatt said that it does not need to drop below 18.  I am still doing my vitamins and trying to get my protein via beans and fish.  My main goal is to NOT THROW UP daily.  I still have energy, but I get heartburn really bad.  I am on Rx meds for the heartburn/reflux.  I still don't regret it and don't think I ever will.  Being in my "fat prison" was the worst.  I am riding my horses, playing tennis and wearing a size 6, so life is good!  I will get thru this.

138!!!

Well, it's been awhile.  Had to get thru the holidays and things are finally calming down a bit.  To my amazement, I am still loosing some weight.  I am now down to a number that I never thought, in my wildest dreams, I would get to...the 130's.  I did take the stomach flu back in December and was very sick for 2.5 weeks.  I found it very hard to bounce back from that sickness.  I think that was partially due to my inability to have large intakes of fluids and protein.  I also think I was a little bit run down to start with, as I was not taking as good of care of myself as I had been by making sure that I took my vitamins daily.  But now, I am back on track!  I am basically eating whatever I want to eat when I want it.  I just simply don't have a desire for the kind of foods that I had before surgery like chocolates and sweets.  I also loved starchy foods, but now they tend to cause me pain so I just avoid them...they are not worth the trouble and I really don't feel like I am missing out on them.  I do still have some trouble digesting "stringy" foods such as BBQ and chicken.  I do find myself wanting to try new foods and enjoying most of them.  I really like nuts, corn, and salads.  If you have never tried out thepioneerwoman.com you gotta try it.  Just click on the Tasty Kitchen tab and you will never again need a recipe book.  I have tried many new dishes off there. 
I am now wearing a size 8-10 and a medium top.  My foot even shrunk 1/2 size.  I feel great and I feel like a woman set free from my fat prison!

A Shout out to Wild Olive!

I just want to give a shout out to Wild Olive Tees!  They look and fit great!  I am still making progress on my weight loss and I am now down to 146!  Yeah!  I will update my pics soon!  Thanks for looking and I still have no regrets!

I Hit My Goal Weight!!!!

I did it! I hit my goal weight. I am 148, and it has not even been a year yet. I went from a size 22W and now I can wear a size 8/10. I would have never guessed it would ever happen! I am still amazed. I was even asked to model in a fashion show last week. I got to see many people that I have not seen in awhile, and I love their shocked expressions. Everybody always asks "do you have energy?" and "have you had any problems?" The answers are I have had more energy than I have ever had in my entire life, and no major problems. Occasionally, I eat something that does not agree with me and I get sick. But, as long as I avoid "stringy" foods, I do well. Also, eating too much causes problems. But, that does not happen too often. It does not take too many times to learn a lesson on that one. I eat basically anything I want to eat. Just not very much of it. I feel like my metabolism is in full burn mode. I am not exercising at all, other than my daily life routines. No treadmill for me! The health benefits have been awesome. Besides the energy level, I have no high BP, no high sugar, no sleep apnea, my asthma is better, less allergies, improved complexion, and less back pain. The mental aspects are great too! I feel better as a mom and I feel like I can do my job as a Probation Officer.

Would I do it again??? A million times YES! I just wish I had done it years ago. I always said that I would not let myself be fat by the time I reached 30, and that did not happen. So, I just moved it forward a decade. I will be 40 in a couple of weeks and I am proud to say that I feel healthy and I look like a normal person. There was risk and some pain involved, but I feel like it was totally worth it. It might not be the answer for everybody, but it was just the ticket to freedom for me!

6 Months Later...

Well, it's been awhile. Time sure does fly! Oct marked my 6 month anniversary since my gastric bypass and I am down to 162lbs!!!! Yeah me!!!! I feel great! My goal is 150 and I am almost there. I easily fit into size 12 clothing now. I am so amazed with the new bones I have found...2 in my butt, my spine, my collarbone. All the fat had them hid before.

I am also amazed at people's reactions to me. I saw Dr. Martha at church today and she had not seen me in awhile. She was totally amazed and said she was going to recommend the surgery to some of her patients. God has totally used me and this surgery to help others! All the ladies want to know what my secret is. All the men just look at me really funny and never say anything. I think they think I would feel insulted if I thought that they thought I was once fat.

No real problems other than the occasional overeating event that comes back to haunt me about 30 min later, followed by annoying hiccups. The strangest thing is that I stay cold all the time. I guess my insulation is gone and nobody told my body about it. My feet feel like blocks of ice even with thick wool socks on.

The good things are....normal BP, a better conplexion and skin condition, less allergies, normal blood sugar, normal cholesterol, no more snoring or sleep apnea (in fact, I am sleeping better than I ever have), increased energy and stamina, less worry and better self esteem, and my body feels so healthy!

I went to Florida about a month ago and was not ashamed to wear a bathing suit. I really felt very sorry for many overweight people there struggling in that 95 degree weather. I know how they felt and am so very grateful that I was not there still feeling that pain.

Would I do it over if I had too? YES, YES,YES! It has totally been so worth it. I feel like I have been set free from by ball and chain (my body). I actually feel like I might live a long and normal life. I will occasionally post new pics of myself and hope to be at the 150 mark pretty soon.

NOTE: My children made me do the silly poses. :o)

Praise God!

M

Weight Loss Pics-168lbs.

I've Lost 80 lbs!!!!

Well, it's been awhile. I have been so busy this summer, but it feels great to be able to be active and not be worn out or constantly out of breath. I am at 170lbs. and still loosing. I comfortably wear a size 14 and even a 12 in some things. I have even lost weight in my feet and have gotten down to a size 8 shoe. It is amazing how my body has changed.
I have had a troublesome complication...hair loss. From what I hear, that is common and can happen to anyone after a surgery of any kind. I feel like I am doing well in the area of protein intake and my labs state that, so I am not worried anymore, and the hair loss has just about quit...after about 4 weeks. I am eating just about anything that I want. Which is not much! If I want something sweet, I eat it but it is rare. It is wild how my taste for food has changed. Eating something greasy makes me almost feel like I am drunk. Speaking of drinking...I have tried a little bit of alcohol and it made me very tipsy after just 2 sips. I have never been a drinker anyway. Anything with big seeds hurts my pouch, for example, zuccuni, squash, tomatoes. Stringy meats also bother me a little (BBQ, pot roast) I am still a huge fan of popsicles. Sugar free of course. But I am on a normal diet now.
As far as exercise, I climb two flights of stairs to my office 5 days/week about a dozen times a day and live a very active lifestyle. One of the greatest accomplishments for me so far is to be able to finally get on my horse, by myself. She does not run from me anymore! I am going to Disney in a few weeks and look forward to getting into a bathing suit that will not be "dresslike" or make other people wonder if I am pregnant.
I will post a few pics this week.
Thanks for reading my ongoing saga,
Mechelle

Post Op Visit & Down 10 More!

Howdy everybody...it has been almost a month since my last blog, and I broke the 189 mark! That is 60 lbs lost since April 4, 2009! I am really happy with that. Even better is the inches that I have lost. I am wearing size 14 now! I had to buy some new clothes, because I have lost so much that when my old clothes are taken up, they just don't look right. I got into a bathing suit for the first time since our cruise in Jan 2008, and it swallowed me whole! It was hanging off me. I still have problem spots that I have to work on like my arms, stomach and hips, but I am finally beginning to feel slimmer.

I went to my 2nd post op visit on July 2. Amber and Dr. Jeff were off, but Amber emailed me later the next week to check on me, and Dr. Jeff called me at home and we chatted for about 30 min. All my labs came back great (just a little low on Vitamin D), and Dr. McNatt seemed very pleased with me. He seems to think that I will only loose about 30 more lbs. I will be tickled pink if I can do that. It is comming off much more slowly right now. And they tell me this is normal. If I kept up my pace, it would get scary. I will be honest in saying that I don't exercise "formally". My exercise comes in climbing the steps to my office a dozen times a day, messing around with my horses and walking to the barn, and the occasional game of tennis with the kids. But, I know that I will have to work on the problem areas soon. My appetite has increased a little, but the hunger is a rare thing. I eat a protein bar (I love Pure Protein Chocolate Chip from Walmart), and I drink chocolate muscle milk. Then I always make sure that I eat either beans or meat with my other meals. I absolutely love G2 Gatorade. I really hate sweet drinks now. Unsweet tea with Splenda does the trick. If I eat too fast, I still get sick. I have also noticed that my hunger switch does not always work properly....meaning that by the time I eat too much, it is too late and I am sick. Eating slowly is the key. That has been a major change in my life, because I always ate on the run. Now I have to take my time. I still have to drink a little with my meals, especially chicken meals. But not much at all. I eat pretty much anything I want. Pasta's and anything with MSG kills me. I am handling salads much better now. I really don't have a craving for anything. I love veggie chips and occasionally I want a little popcorn. It truly amazes me to eat out and see how much people can cram down their throats. I don't know how I ever did it. I did get a card, that Amber sent to me, that explained that I have had surgery for weight loss and asks that I be able to order a small or child's portion. That helps me keep from explaining it over and over. Some people are really nice about it, and others seem indifferent and charge me full price. I just don't eat at the latter anymore. A side effect of this is that my hubby seems to be gaining a little weight (don't tell him I ratted him out), because he cleans my plate now!

I am only going to blog about once a month, as things are not changing as often for me. I will keep posting pics so you can see my progress and I can have a record of it. It has DEFINATELY been worth it so far!

Later...Peace Out,

M

Time To Celebrate!

Well, it has been awhile....I have been so very busy. I have truly neglected my blog, but I think subconsciously I was waiting to report back in when I broke that magical 200lb mark. Well, I did it! Officially 198 today. YEEEE HAAAAAWWWW! Numbers are numbers, but those are the ones I have been waiting to see for such a long time. It has been over 9 years since I have been below 200lbs. I feel fantastic! I even sent some clothes over to moms to be altered. I have been going to the thrift store shopping and have bought 2 pairs of size 16 pants and 1 pair of size 14. Many of my clothes that I was wearing just 3 short months ago literally fall to the floor when I put them on! Now that is exciting stuff! I have decreased in bra size also. My waist has been amazing to me. It has shrunk so fast. I still have the smaller "upper intertube" to get rid of and the larger "lower intertube". That will take more time and exercise. Speaking of which, I went to play tennis with my kids this past weekend. It was so awesome to be able to play again without getting totally worn out and winded. I feel like I gain more and more energy each week. It is incredible to realize how carrying 51 extra pounds around really takes a serious toll on your body. I got a new haircut too, and everybody tells me that it makes me look younger and slimmer.
As far as the food intake goes, I have my days that I struggle with getting the protein consumption, but for the most part it is becoming a part of the daily routine. I eat a protein bar for breakfast (I nibble on it for several hours), and I make sure that I eat some type of meat (preferably fish or turkey) and some beans for lunch and supper. I also have nutritious snacks that have protein such as soy nuts for my snacks. I love G2 Gatorade. I have indulged a couple of times on a small amount of dessert, but found it unsatisfying and it left me feeling something that I have not felt much of since surgery...cravings for more sugar. I can see how my body used sugar as a type of drug. You take a little, and it turns that ugly addiction back on again. It turns on that "bottomless pit" feeling. I can eat anything I want to eat, so I don't feel like I am depriving myself of anything...I just tell myself "why" and most of the time I leave it alone. One of the things I really love to eat is greens, but they do bother me somewhat. I guess they are hard to digest. Cole slaw tends to be not worth the pain.
Enought rambling...here are my pics...Later!

Bought New Clothes!

Well, my pics tell the story. I am inching up to the 45lbs lost mark. I am helping Andy lay tile. That is a very physical job, so plenty of exercise. My energy level is back up. I am still sleeping well and my body is really changing. I went to the consignment shop and bought some new (to me) pants. My others are falling off me! That is so awesome! People are really starting to tell me how dramatically I am changing. I am a melting mama. I am eating more or less what I want to eat. Trying to focus on the protein. By the way, the Nectar shakes were horrible! I have been using the powder a little and mostly protein bars or Muscle Milk Lite shakes. I am doing well with the vitamins, but not so well with the gall bladder pills. No need to lie about it...I take about 1 or2 a week. I am loving G2 Gatorade. Still addicted to the sf popsicles. I ate a tiny bite of mom's coconut creme pie. It was good, but I could have lived without it. Still no cravings. I feel very blessed about that. I did a bad this week...I got in a tight spot and ended up drinking a sip of a carbonated beverage. It made my pouch growl at me. I don't think I will be doing a bonehead thing like that anytime soon. I have decided to have 3 celebrations; first will be when I weigh less than Andy...give me another week. 2nd will be when I go below 200lbs, that will be about 2 weeks away and 3rd will be when I reach my goal weight of 160. I am currently 206lbs.

Still hanging out at 40lbs.

I am still hovering around that 40 lb mark. That is ok with me, because I tend to think I have lost it too fast anyway. My clothes are fitting very well. That is really more important than the number of lbs lost...to me anyway. I tried the cherry nectar shake. It was ok. I am still lovin the soy chips. Tonight I had some tenderized steak for supper with some fried taters. I made some fresh squeezed lemonade with splenda. Yummy! I had to chase somebody at work today...boy did that ever wear me out! Well, at least I got my exercise in today. One deputy got there before me and one after me. I am not naming names-but at least I did not come in last! At least I should sleep well tonight.
I want to thank everybody for their support and most importantly God for making all this happen for me and for taking care of me! I am not going to write daily anymore because it will just become too repetative. I will write every few days and will keep the pics coming.

Picture Day

Well, I am approaching the 40 lb mark. It feels great! As you can tell by my picture, I am either going to have to go to the tailor or go shopping. My pants are very loose on me. I am also getting in the mood for a new hair do. I went to a lunch meeting today, that was catered, and everyone kept saying "is that all you are going to eat?" I just eat a little bit and I am full. I had a small taste of salad, some spaghetti and a little toast. I have been doing better with my protein as of late. I got my samples of Nectar from Vitalady and I tried my first one, which was cherry. I mixed it with 1/4 cup of water and I crushed some ice and added it. It was "interesting" tasting. It was not bad, but not great either. I think it was something that will grow on me. I have other exciting flavor samples to try that probably sound better than they actually are. Such as, Caribbean Cooler, Fuzzy Navel, and Apple Ecstacy.

On another note, Dr. McNatt's nurse called and told me that he is calling in some Vitamin D for me to my pharmacy. I have no idea as to why?? I did not have labs since my surgery, so why it is all the sudden a need for Vitamin D is a mystery. But, I will do what they say to do.

The exercise program is good. I walked to the barn yesterday and lifted a few hay bales. I hope to have time to go riding on a nice long trail ride very soon!

Fri, Sat, Sun

I have been really busy this weekend and just catching up on the blog. I am trying to stay very active and even though I am tired, I feel like I am regaining my energy. I think the exercise is helping. I have really been focusing on the protein too. The Dr. and Amber told me that not getting enough protein slows the progress of weight loss. Since I have been getting the protein in, I am loosing again. I am pushing the 40 lb mark! Awesome! I am trying new foods and so far so good. Mexican food is going down really well and I am loving the soy. I just got my samples of the Nectar in and have not tried them yet, but I am going to make a smoothie in the morning. I only have one more of those nasty Lean Body shakes from GNC left and Janie/Rob got me a supply of lite Muscle Milk. I really like those.
The best news of all is that my clothes are not fitting at all now. I wore a pair of jeans to church today that I had to keep pulling up because they were about to fall off! Just 2 months ago, I had to lay on the bed to get them zipped up. I have a waist again! I still have the upper and lower intertube, but at least they are not joined now! It is amazing to feel the weight melting off. I am thinking about trying some swimming this week. We have a very busy week, so we will see how it goes. I am going to have to start some toning exercises. I have "wings" beginning to develp under my biceps. Thing are looking up! This week will be 6 weeks post surgery.