Not a Good Protein/Eating Day, But I Am Walking On Sunshine!

Not many know, but today I had a biopsy scheduled.  Back on March 19th, a doctor found that a mass in my right breast, originally found in a July 2009 scan, had grown.  I was scheduled to have the biopsy this morning.  I was okay until yesterday.   Then I became angry at the world.  I was ticked off!  Here I had my insides redesigned in order to become healthy so that I could spend many years with my husband and son.  Now this!  I know, most biopsies come back benign.  Regardless, I was angry. 

One thing to know is that when you go in for something like this, you get the royal treatment.  Everyone is super-duper nice.  It is really a pleasant atmosphere.  I get to the hospital, late, because of Atlanta traffic.  This of course has exacerbated my anger.  I get checked in.  Things start moving quickly, and I calm down.  Once I am changed into the infamous gown, I am taken to a nurses office to go over paper work and to get my vitals.  She takes my blood pressure.  I am expecting it to be sky high because I haven't had blood pressure meds in about a month and my previously mentioned anger issues.  She takes it and asks if I am normally low.  Of course I said no, because I am usually normal only with meds.  She looked at me strangely.  My pressure was 98/62.  WHAT???  She then checked it again.  116/68.  WOW!  What a change that is from my pressure prior to surgery.

After all the typical prep, I am taken for a mammogram.  Yippee.  It was at my scan in July 2009 that I scared the tech by almost passing out during the mammogram.  She had to get out the ammonia to make sure I wasn't going to completely black out.  Today's scans were okay.  I had two to start with.  Then I waited.  The tech comes back.  We need two more scans.  Okay.  Done.  Wait.  She comes back again.  The doctor is having a hard time finding the spot needed for the biopsy.  We need two more scans.  Really??  After a seventh scan the doctor comes to me and says she cannot find the mass in any of the mammogram scans I had done today.  There is nothing there.  It cannot be felt, and it cannot be seen.  It has disappeared.  Needless to say, after seven boob squashes, I am happy that there was no mass present. 

The relief did not hit me until two hours after leaving the hospital.  The sun was shining.  The day was warm.   I was driving around in my car with the windows down and the radio up! 

I go back for a recheck in July. 

A Little Annoyed at 14 Weeks

I am thrilled, THRILLED, with my weight loss so far.  As of this morning I am down a total of 79 pounds!  I am so close to the century mark that I can taste it.  However, when I went to see Dr. Macik Friday, he had the nerve to look at me and say I am about 16 pounds behind for my progress.  I just stared at him blankly.  Of course all the good things I should have said come rushing to me in the parking lot as I was leaving.  What I did say to him was I am quite pleased with the 50 pounds I have lost since surgery, that I have never in my life lost 3-4 lbs consistently week to week, and that I feel better than I have in a really long time.  I am just annoyed that he has lumped me in with an "average."  Anyone who knows me knows I am far from average!  I usually take my own road and make my own opinions, and I do not mind stepping on toes.  Why would I be any different with weight loss and surgery?  I know he does not know me personally, I just do not want to be lumped in there with the rest of the world. 

I have been having issues with eating the last few days.  I guess you could say I am having a small pouch weekend.  I have only been able to eat very, very small amounts of food at a time.  And considering I already eat small quantities, I am not getting much in at each sitting.  This makes it hard for me to keep track.  Things should get back to normal with my work week. 

Sorry for the MIA

This last week has been a doozie!  With my little man turning three, most of the past week has been planning his party, making his cake, and now dealing with his ear infection (ugh!).  Here are a few pictures of me at the birthday party. 

I went shopping last Saturday.  A friend and I went to Kohl's.  Typically, before surgery, I would not be able to find pants that fit.  Never.  Usually shirts were a 3X and I could wear them once (until they were washed and dried, LOL).  I was able to purchase not one but two pairs of Gloria Vanderbilt size 24 pants.  The Lee's were still a little tight in the my massive calves.  I was able to purchase SEVERAL 2X shirts off of the clearance rack!  I am wearing one now!  To be able to purchase clothes from a store other than Avenue and Lane Bryant is rejuvenating. 

My weight loss has been stalled going up and down from 282 to 285 to 282.  I know it is because I have not been keeping up with fluids and protein the past week.  

I will see my surgeon for my 3 month check-up Friday.  I will update with anything that comes from it.  I should also be getting blood work done to check my vitamin levels. 

I have been a slacker the last week with posting my meals on dailyplate.  I promise to get back on track with posting my intake.  And the weather is getting gorgeous!  This means more outside time, more walks, more park time with me and the little one. 

Putting it out for all to see!

This was the day that I knew I had to do something to save my life.  We were at a friend's son's birthday party.  It was early April 2009.  When we got home that day and looked through the pictures I was horrified.  I was 357 pounds.  My best friend looked better holding my son than I did.  We even cropped me out of the picture.  I could barely keep up with Ian running around the front yard.  My diabetes was out of control.  Mark and I had been trying for some months prior to have another baby.  I knew at this point it was only going to get worse. 













I truly believe having this surgery has helped save my life.  I want to be here for Ian and Mark for many years.   I have learned that to truly be the best for someone else, you have to be the best for yourself.  Otherwise, you are just spinning your wheels through life, getting no where fast. 

12 Weeks Post Op!

As of this morning I am 73 pounds lighter!  To celebrate I went back to Avenue and bought some size 24 pants!  The size 26 were a little too loose to justify purchasing. 

Today, my grade level went to lunch at Sweet Tomatoes.  There wasn't much along the lines of protein for me.  I stuck with a spinach mandarin salad with walnuts, and topped it with some hard-boiled egg and cheese.  Lettuce still upsets the pouch.

Here are some comparison pics.  The first set were taken December 25.  I was 7 days post op.  The second set were taken just 2 days ago.  See any difference??  :)

Another NSV (NonScale Victory)

Right after surgery (about 2 weeks I would guess, it was before returning to work), I went through my closet and tossed tons of clothes.  Many were things that I just didn't like, were worn out, out dated, or getting too big.  I kept a few items that still had tags or that were never worn and a few things that were a few sizes smaller than I was currently wearing.  

So after going shopping last Friday, I decided to retry everything in my closet.  Woohoo!  The pants that I saved because they were a few sizes smaller, with tags, fit!  Well, sorta.  They were loose fitting!  I now have a few new pairs of pants to wear for the next few weeks until they start falling off of me.  However, I am a little upset that a couple of pairs I kept I have now bypassed in size.  They look REALLY bad and large.  I guess getting into a size 26 at the Avenue Friday wasn't a fluke after all.  I actually got into a pair of Walmart size 28 pants from 5 years ago!  Everyone knows that Walmart size 28 runs slightly smaller than a Lane Bryant or Avenue size 28, more like a size 26.

My polo shirts are fitting nicely.  Come to find out they are mostly sizes 22/24.  I guess I blocked out buying shirts in those sizes.  I quit wearing them because I was frustrated with them riding up above my waistline.  My only concern now is the way my arms are looking in them.  I have lost some inches from my arms, and they are starting to look a little weird.  I am sure I will get over it.  :)

Just a NSV (Non-Scale Victory)

So I did go and try on clothes yesterday.  I was completely shocked.  Now, I know that sizes vary from store to store, and yes, I know, manufacturers are getting a little larger in there size charts, but just last May (when I decided to do something about the growing waistline), 30/32 was starting to get a little tight for me.  I get to Avenue and start looking.  Take in mind, most of my pants that are currently in my closet are 30/32.  I have a couple of size 28 pants and I think one 26 that still have the tag on them.  The size 30/32 are hanging off my hips now.  While looking around I note that when I try on pants I need a straight or flared leg because of my calves.  I find a style of jeans in the store.  They do not have anything larger than a 26 in that style.  They look kind of big for a 26.  So I try them on.  THEY FIT LOOSELY!  OMG!!!  I keep looking around the store other size 26 pants fit as well, but not all. 

As for shirts, I have been wearing 30/32 also.  I need the larger size for my arms.  However, the last year, I needed 30/32 because I needed them longer in the front to keep my shirts from riding up showing my tummy above the waist band.  I am now wearing some 22/24 shirts, depending on the arms.  If the arms are narrow, I need a 26/28.  The 22/24  covers my front mid-area quite nicely! 

I do have memories of purchasing size 26 pants, usually at Lane Bryant in the Oglethorpe Mall 15 years ago!  I, however, have NO memories of ever getting into a 22/24 shirt. 

11 Weeks

OMG!!!!!  Today, I am 287!  That is exactly 70 pounds down!!!  I do not have ANY memories of the 280s.  I may have bypassed it in my trip up the scale.  I truly am amazed.  I think I am going tomorrow to try on clothes just to see what size I am now.  With my mammoth arms and calves, I may have a ways to go before I see any significant size movement.

I have placed a link to my online food diary at livestrong.com.  Knowing it is there, I am quite diligent in updating it.  I like that.

Not much to add today.  I am feeling really well.  My blood sugar readings are in the normal range.  I just need a good warm up to do more walking outside.

10 Weeks Post Op

At my official 10 weeks post op date, I was on the road to see my mama.  Ian and I took my wonderful new(er) car to Savannah.  It was not a long trip.  I didn't have time to visit with (m)any, other than Mama, Sandy, Chris, and my nieces and nephew.  Hopefully I will get down there during Spring Break and make my rounds to see more family and friends. 

The weight loss is still slow and steady.  Mark and I have been having conversations about it.  He seems to think I will not need as much plastic surgery to remove the excess skin with the slower weight loss.  I agree to some extent.  However, skin GROWS.  The bigger I got, the more skin that grew to cover my body.  There are also parts of my body that have been large for so long that nothing will help.  No, exercise does not help your skin "retract" at my highest weight.  Exercise helps firm up the muscles under the skin, making what is there look smooth and healthy.   It looks like my insurance policy has the no plastics because of weight loss exclusion removed.  I hope it remains that way through 2011 or 2012.  It would be great to be able to get it covered by insurance!  Otherwise, it will not happen. 

So far I am down 67 pounds!  Woohoo!  No complaints there!  I am still having trouble slowing down and chewing.  It is getting easier, though. 

With the exception of this weekend, being on the road and all, I have been tracking my food at www.dailyplate.com.  If I can find an easy way to make it public and linkable, I think that would be the best way to post my food choices for the day. 

Let's try this one.  ----->  My food diary