First visit with the new Dr.

Well I went to my appointment with the new dr. The office was nicer in person than they were on the phone so that was a good thing. Completed all of the health history stuff and the dr came in. He was pretty nice, but in ways I felt him to be thorough. He listened to what I had to say and he told me that he wanted me to have an upper gi before he did too much with my band just to make sure that everything is just right. I go for that this week. He did give me a 1cc fill although I am not feeling much difference.

He also is going to do a full lab workup which I haven't had done at my old practice testing for all vitamin deficiencies too. This makes me happy as I am still losing a lot of hair 15 months after surgery. This fact is another reason that I had so much fill taken out in July. I was tired of losing so much hair! Unfortunately that didn't help and I still fill the drain with hair at every shower. Maybe the labs will indicate something.

I go back in a month, Which is longer than I really want to wait, but I will go with it!

Coming clean...

I can't believe that I have disappeared for almost 2 months.  Seeing my current status, I should have been around.  I last left you all with having a major unfill.  That was the worst thing that I could have done.  I have put on 20 lbs in 2 months!  I truly think that I hadn't dealt with a lot of my issues from losing my brother and the hunger came that I hadn't felt in a year and I ate, and ate, and ate.  I can't wear any of my clothes.  I went a dug a bunch out of the storage closet while in tears yesterday.  I don't want to go back there! 

This has all been compounded with insurance issues.  I can't get back in for a new fill at my surgeons office because my insurance says I should see the new guy who is local to me.  I new guy would have to refuse to see me to get my insurance to pay for my surgeon.  Don't we all love HMO's?  I have an appointment on this Friday at the new surgeons office.  They seem rude on the phone.  I asked the secretary yesterday when they called me if it was a possibility to get a fill at that first appointment and she said she didn't know.  I can't handle another month of this.  I am ready to get back in the game.  I have lost all of the strides that I made this year.  Maybe I dealt with some of the stuff that I hadn't dealt with, but still 20 efffin lbs???  I am 5'2, I look like a balloon! 

Thanks all for the vent!

Unfill is going well

I mentioned that I went to my Dr. last week for a big unfill.  I had 3cc taken out leaving me with 3.5 in my band.  I have to say after this weekend, I can't be happier!  I had been having a lot of trouble getting in enough calories for maintenance and had resorted to eating crap with no nutritional value just to get the calories.  I really wanted good food!  I have been able to eat well and it is great.  The nurse said that my weight may waver a bit this week, but it hasn't at all.  I think I am getting the same caloric amount, but now more nutrition.  I feel that I probably was too tight for too long, but wonder if I could have lost the weight without being so tight.  I would want to eat so bad, but just give up because it was too much trouble.  I also wasn't getting in enough water or liquids as it would be close to 1.5 hours before anything would go down after eating.  I didn't have time to constantly be drinking if I wasn't trying to eat so I just didn't drink or would forget.  I am loving that I can drink again whenever I want!

I am now feeling good about everything and some people at work are asking if I would do it all again.  The answer to that is a definate YES! 

I can't believe it has almost been a month...

Hi everyone!  I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted, but I have been reading although my commenting has left much to be desired.  Sorry to everyone.  When I last left you, we were starting to work on the kitchen remodel.  Boy, that was a job.  My husband and I don't hire things out, so we do all of the work ourselves.  We have a system of who does what and it seems to work pretty well most of the time.  The kitchen is the last room in the house that needed a makeover so I am glad to have that accomplished!  Now on to the pictures...  You all are seeing this before my children, as they have been visiting my parents in California since we started and now finished!  I hope they will be surprised! 

The Befores:  (these are when I was buying the house.  I had made small changes like appliances and a good cleaning, but you get the picture...)

And the afters!!!!

I can't believe that we dealt with that nasty ugly dysfunctional kitchen for that long!  We are in love with the results!  My husband actually cut all of the granite himself too.  Always an excuse for some new tools!

In band news, I went yesterday for a major unfill.  I had resorted to eating crapola to get my calories up in order not to lose more weight.  I so wanted to eat good food.  I had 6.5cc in my 10cc band.  I had 3 removed yesterday.  I am going to work maintenance with a lower fill level and see how that goes.  The nurse told me that I was too tight anyway.  When she put the needle in my port it started pushing saline in the syringe without her doing anything!  Wish me luck!

Let's show some BOOBs love

I found this morning that a new blogger Kristina is following me and she just started her 21 DAY pre-op diet on Tuesday.  Let's show her a Boobs welcome!  http://lapband-complete180.blogspot.com/

1 year has came and went, and I have to say... If I can do this, ANYONE CAN!

So my one year banded date has past (June 9) and I am finally getting around to posting my pictures.  Sorry I didn't post them on the day, but since my brother passed away on my 6 month band day, I was having a bad day with the fact that he had been gone 6 months.  I also spent the weekend with my mother in St. Louis.  She has flown in from San Diego for the weekend and then she is leaving on Tuesday and taking my sons (15 & 11) with her for 5 weeks before my father brings them back in July.  They love traveling with my parents in the summertime.  They have been doing this for the past 4 summers.

While in St. Louis, we took my 2 year old to the zoo.  We had a wonderful time and it was awesome to be able to walk around and keep up with her without a problem.

So on to the pictures...  The befores were taken the night before my surgery.  I had lost some weight already and thought I was looking good.  How our perception is warped sometimes...

I know that many of you ask, "What do you eat?"  They glory of this whole process, is I eat ANYTHING I want!  Now mind you, I like to keep pretty well track of what I am eating, but if I want to eat cheese puffs and ice cream that day, I DO!  This band has allowed me to take control of my eating and my life.  I am loving every minute of this new life.   I myself am the first to be amazed by this transformation.  I know that if I can do this, ANYONE can!

1 year measurements

Since I have had my band for one year this week, I decided that it was time to take my measurements again.  I recommend taking measurements to anyone who is researching the band or newly banded.  It really helps to see some changes when the scale doesn't seem to be cooperating.  Anyway, on to the measurements... but before that I have a picture that gives a bit of a visual.

                          Then                  Now                 Change

Neck                  16                      11                     -5

Bicep                  15                      11                     -4  (x2)

Forearm             10                      8.5                    -1.5 (x2)

Chest                 42.5                   34                     -8.5

Waist                 41                       28.5                 -12.5

Hips                   51                       34                    -17

Thigh                  28                       19.5                 -8.5 (x2)

Calf                    16                       13                    -3 (x2)

That brings us to a grand total of 77 inches!  That also comes to nearly an inch a pound.  How amazing is that!?? Oh and on a second thought, how did I walk around with an extra 8.5 inches on each thigh??