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Hello Everyone,

I have come ALONG WAY!!!  Went to Dr. Gibbs for my 2 year checkup.  Dr, Gibbs told me I was doing a terrific job and is very proud of me and my progress.  Ok well 220 pounds lighter *YEAH ME!!!* When I was in his office I mentioned to him that I had a pain in my left side, I asked him if I had problems with my gallbladder how would I know.  Dr. Gibbs advised me of the place I would feel the pain, my eyes got big and said OMG!!! That's where I feel it,  He said in his ever so calm voice, would you like to get an ultra sound and I said yes please.  Right away I was whisked off to another part of his office and had an ultra sound completed and BOOM right there and then the ultra sound showed lots and lots and even lots more stones.  Dr. Gibbs advised me the stones will not go away and will get worse.  I'm like oh no I can't have an emergency situation as I take care of my mom who has Alzheimer's.  So today we scheduled an appt to have my gallbladder removed.  Thursday December 19 is the day.  I thought I would never have to go under ever again.  I opted not to have plastic surgery, I promised myself I would do a very good job of exercising to pull that skin tight, which I did and I kept that promise to myself. Now onto another journey, the removal of my gallbladder.  I feel safe with Dr. Gibbs doing the surgery, but its the thought of having to go under once again.  Wonder why they just do not remove the gallbladder when they do the RNY anyway.  After all loosing lots of weight whether you have had surgery or not gallstones are going to most likely to occur.  So why not take it out anyway?  So, I'm not worried, but then again I am ya know?  I hate having to be still for a few days and then being sore then not being able to go swimming.  So I asked the doctor, "so how long do I have to wait until I can go swimming again?"  He chuckled and said, "give it a couple of weeks."  He knows I love to swim and that's my major form of exercise.  Will check in again and let you know how it all goes.  I am getting ready for the surgery by making sure the house is clean, food cooked for the week and all that good stuff.

Later...

Love,

Deb

 November 2, 2013 marks my second year anniversary since my wonderful surgery that has transformed my life and changed me completely for the better.  A better life, better health and a great new outlook.  I look forward to each new day now.  My husband is a wonderful person and helps me each day to achieve even more.  My wonderful daughter is a strong support for, and I love them both for it.  My family is my strength.  If you of told me 2 years ago that I would go from a size 32 to a size 8, if you would of told me that I would of went from 350+ pounds to 150 pounds, if you told me I would not suffer from hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, if you told me I would have so much energy that I would always want to be moving or doing something, if you told me I would enjoy swimming, hiking, exercising and my ankles, back and knees would no longer hurt me, I would not of believed you.  Having an RNY was the best decision I made for myself.  I made a very important life decision that would change me for the rest of my life.  To be honest I was scared.  Was this surgery really going to go the way I wanted and work the way I hoped it would?  I was always coming to OH.com and looking at the before and after pictures and hoping one day that would be me. 

After much research I chose my doctor, Dr. Mark Gibbs.  I remember going to the seminar and the one thing that stuck in my mind was what Dr. Gibbs said, "If you have a hard time controlling your liquid sweets, then the sleeve or the lap band are not for you.  You will not loose weight if you continue to eat as you do now."  I knew I would not be able to control my liquid sweets, if I was able to eat or drink it and it was chocolate, I was doing it then!!!  That always stuck in my head.  So its been 2 yrs and 2 weeks and in that time nothing such as chocolate, chips, anything deep fried or pasta or any simple carbohydrates.  

I babied my tummy after the surgery for a long time.  I followed the sample menu that I was given at my nutritionist office visit,  I followed it longer that it was stated.  for the first 6 months I ate soft foods.  It was just me, I did not want to hurry the food along and I was in no hurry to sit down and eat a lot anyway.  I remember I was only able to eat 2 tablespoons of food every 3 hours.  I loved it.  I remember seeing my surgeon for my 3 month check up and telling him I love only eating 2 TBSP of food.  I remember Dr. Gibbs saying, "I hate to burst your bubble, you will be able to eat up to a 1/2 cup."  I replied, "Not if I can help it!"  Well, I can hold 8 oz now and I work very hard to only eat nutritious foods.

EXERCISE ------VERY VERY IMPORTANT!!!!  I cannot stress the importance of exercise.  I had my surgery Nov 2 at 6am, and at 10 am I was up walking around.  I was lucky, I had ZERO pain after my surgery.  I did not need pain meds.  I wanted to get up in recovery and walk and they told me to wait at least 2 hrs.  My surgeon told me that his operating room staff was bragging on me.  I remember before they put me out, I promised I would wake up with a smile, and when they woke me up, I had this big cheesy smile on my face and felt so good.  So back to the exercise.  After I was released from the hospital (the very next day) I rested at home for 1 day and then I became antsy.  So I told my husband I wanted to go to November 2, 2013 marks my second year anniversary since my wonderful surgery that has transformed my life and changed me completely for the better.  A better life, better health and a great new outlook.  I look forward to each new day now.  My husband is a wonderful person and helps me each day to achieve even more.  My wonderful daughter is a strong support for, and I love them both for it.  My family is my strength.  If you of told me 2 years ago that I would go from a size 32 to a size 8, if you would of told me that I would of went from 350+ pounds to 150 pounds, if you told me I would not suffer from hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, if you told me I would have so much energy that I would always want to be moving or doing something, if you told me I would enjoy swimming, hiking, exercising and my ankles, back and knees would no longer hurt me, I would not of believed you.  Having an RNY was the best decision I made for myself.  I made a very important life decision that would change me for the rest of my life.  To be honest I was scared.  Was this surgery really going to go the way I wanted and work the way I hoped it would?  I was always coming to OH.com and looking at the before and after pictures and hoping one day that would be me. 

After much research I chose my doctor, Dr. Mark Gibbs.  I remember going to the seminar and the one thing that stuck in my mind was what Dr. Gibbs said, "If you have a hard time controlling your liquid sweets, then the sleeve or the lap band are not for you.  You will not loose weight if you continue to eat as you do now."  I knew I would not be able to control my liquid sweets, if I was able to eat or drink it and it was chocolate, I was doing it then!!!  That always stuck in my head.  So its been 2 yrs and 2 weeks and in that time nothing such as chocolate, chips, anything deep fried or pasta or any simple carbohydrates.  

I babied my tummy after the surgery for a long time.  I followed the sample menu that I was given at my nutritionist office visit,  I followed it longer that it was stated.  for the first 6 months I ate soft foods.  It was just me, I did not want to hurry the food along and I was in no hurry to sit down and eat a lot anyway.  I remember I was only able to eat 2 tablespoons of food every 3 hours.  I loved it.  I remember seeing my surgeon for my 3 month check up and telling him I love only eating 2 TBSP of food.  I remember Dr. Gibbs saying, "I hate to burst your bubble, you will be able to eat up to a 1/2 cup."  I replied, "Not if I can help it!"  Well, I can hold 8 oz now and I work very hard to only eat nutritious foods.

EXERCISE ------VERY VERY IMPORTANT!!!!  I cannot stress the importance of exercise.  I had my surgery Nov 2 at 6am, and at 10 am I was up walking around.  I was lucky; I had ZERO pain after my surgery.  I did not need pain meds.  I wanted to get up in recovery and walk and they told me to wait at least 2 hrs.  My surgeon told me that his operating room staff was bragging on me.  I remember before they put me out, I promised I would wake up with a smile, and when they woke me up, I had this big cheesy smile on my face and felt so good.  So, back to the exercise.  After I was released from the hospital (the very next day) I rested at home for 1 day and then I became antsy.  So I told my husband I wanted to go to Pinnacle Mountain.  I went on the base trail, it was a little too much for me to handle and made myself a little sore, but that’s ok.  Each day I walked.  I was always with my husband or my daughter.  I wanted to be with someone just in case.  When I was not able to be with anyone, then I walked up and down my hallway back and forth and I had a pedometer I made sure I walked 1 mile each and every day.  May not of been all at one time, but it was a mile each day.  Then after my first check up the doctor checked me after my surgery and said you are healing up nicely.  My husband just started a new job and it was at a fitness center with a swimming pool.  So my surgeon told me to give it 2 more weeks and I can go swimming.  I started out 30 min in the pool and 10 min in the hot tub.  Each day I would add 5 min onto my time in the pool.  I was up to 2 hrs swimming every day after work.  What a great all over cardio, aerobic workout.  It worked every single inch of my body.  I then went to the internet and found a hiking group that I can walk with nearby.  I was swimming each day and 4 days out of the week after swimming I went for a 4-5 mile hike.  So now that I lost the weight I wanted you are now thinking I am thinking about plastic surgery.  Well you know I was.  Then when I went to the plastic surgeon she was very surprised and said, “Are you sure you have weight loss surgery” I replied yes I did.  The doctor said I worked very hard and I really do not have any hanging skin.  My stomach looks great, my legs, well you can tell I lost weight, but there are not rolls of skin hanging or anything like that.  I owe it all to exercising.  My plastic surgeon said that a lot of people run to the surgeon at least by 18 months after surgery, which is fine she stated.  She said she would like me to give it 4 years total because of the exercise I have been doing my skin will retract even more.  I am not in a hurry for plastic surgery anyway; I am not in a hurry for all that additional pain that comes with it.  My MD said that plastic surgery is not an easy recovery anyway and thinks I am doing a great job.

Eat properly.  Eat lots of fruit and fresh veggies.  I have changed my eating habits completely.  I no longer eat any sugar, deep fried, or anything that is not good for me. Peanut butter still makes me feel bad, so I don’t eat it.  It may be all the fat and oil in there along with the sugar.  I have tried the natural PB and it still makes me feel sick. Pasta like lasagna does not make me feel good, however whole wheat linguini is ok in moderation.   I looked for recipes on the internet that were sugar free.  Now there are certain items that are sugar free in the store, however whatever they put in that sugar free stuff does not make me feel good, so I won’t eat it.  That’s good for me anyway, cause then that gives me another reason not to eat sugar free candy of any kind.  J   

I am very happy to talk about my journey.  I love my journey and love talking to others about it.  I love helping others though theirs.  I was scared and had all the same questions and fears as everyone else.  I still have a problem with constipation and did not want to fill my body up with chemicals to make my go easier, so I happen to make homemade oven baled eggrolls with cabbage and carrot filling.  WOW the cabbage was a natural laxative.  I am still discovering new things.  I am happy at where I am now.  I am happy with the size I am.  I am happy with me.  That’s the first time I have ever said that…WOW, what a break through and what a moment for me.   All I can say it THANK YOU DR GIBBS FOR GIVING ME MY LIFE BACK!!!!!  I will cherish my new body for the rest of my life, I promise!!!!

 

 

It has been awhile since I have written and I am sorry about that.  Life is happening all around me.  My mom who suffers from Alzheimer has been living with me and I have been taking care of her.  The warm weather is FINALLY here.  Seemed like an eternity for it to get here.  Nows that it is my mom and I have been hiking alot,  Well I oush her in a transport chair and I hike.  It gives me additional exercise to push her with the extra weight which is good.  And I always wear a pack pack filled with our water and healthy snacks for us to eat.  My RNY was 11-2-11 and I am still loosing weight which is great.  I am down to a size 6 and I am actually wearing shorts now.  It's a great feeling to be able to feel confident enough to show the legs :)  I love my tool and I love my new life.

Had to share!!!!!

Take Care,

Deb

Another month has gone by and more pounds and inches have left my body  YEAH!!!!  I am now in a size 8 jean.  Can you beleive it, a single digit.  When was the last time I was in a signle digit that I can remember, ummm maybe when I was 6 yrs old.  I went to the plastic surgeon just to get a plan going for the skin removal.  He asked me if I have stabelized on my weight lossyet and I said no I am still loosing.  The Dr. said to give another 6 mo and to come back and in the meantime any rashes that happen to develope to take pics and keep all receipts of any meds I have to pay for.  This would go into my file and this would be additional info for the insurance as well.  I want to loose another 50 pounds.  Everyone tells me I am stick now that 50 more pounds would be too much.  Everyone has an opinion and thats fine.  I just smile and go on my way.  There are co-workers that are very very jealous of me and others that are very happy for me.  I walk every day, I swim 3x a week for 2 hrs, I run in 5k's and training for the 1/2 marathon.  The hatrers will sit and talk about eating junk food and actually stuff their faces with stuff thats non healty and fattening and no physical exercixe at all except to lift the arm to feed the mouth.  I should be an insoration to them, they should not be jealous of me.  They should ask me for tips and receipes.  O well, there eill always be haters in this world and my revenge will be living healthy and having a good time doing it.  I have the body and positive attitutute to prove it.

Take Care,
Deb
:)

Hello Journal,
It's been awhile since I last wrote to you.  I have been doing really good and keeping on track.  I swim in the summer at my neighboorhood pool.  I walk 5 days a week during my luncdh.  I have joined a hiking group and now am an event organizer.  I have ran a lot of 5k for different organizsations and fund raisers.  I enjoy running and now I have found a new passion....TENNIS!! Where I live, our country club has a tennis ball machine that tosses balls to me pver the net and makes me run up to the net, way back to the end of the court, to the left, to the right.  The cardio is great and works muscles I never knew I had in my hips, theighs, buttocks and legs.  It's a different type of soreness from running.  It makes me know I have "woken up" those dorment muscles.  I really enjoy the game and then more exercise comes in to play when I have to bend over and pick up all those balls that I hit back over the net. There is alot of bending over.  Calling on all sorts of muscles.  October I am back in the pool at the health club I go to.  I do not like working out on stationary machines, I need to be moving around.  A treadmill is not for me.  I'd rather walk/jog/run in the park, on a trail, with my dog.  I love life now and live each day like it was my last.
There are a few ladies who are very jealous of me and seem like they really hate me for some reason,  When I was sick and unhealthy they liked me, now that I got healthy and will not eat the bad foods that they eat they despise me for it I suppose.  I guess its like a person on drugs, their drug addicted frineds are happy they are around to enjoy the bad stuff, then when they decided to get clean and sober allf a sudden they dont want to be their friend anymore.  I dont need any negativity in my life when I am full of positive energy.  They should look to me as an inspiration.  I am in a size 10 now.  Do not know if I was ever in a size 10, am sure I was, however I do not remember it. I never wore makeup before, now I do not eave the house without looking fabulous.  I do not buy brand new clothes yet cause I am still loosing all kinds of weight which is ok with me.  So I go to the goodwill and after they get to big for me I donate them back for someone else to enjoy. My BMI was 59% it is now 29%.  I was 384 pounds, I am now 180 pounds. I was in a size 32, am now in a size 10.  My shoe size even went from a size 11 to a size 10. My cholestrol is healthy along with all the other blood work they did.  I have people coming up to me asking if I am new as they did not see me before at work and when I tell them who I am they tell me I do not look like the same person (that was the idea LOL!!) and that I look so healthy and beautiful.  That is what makes the people who do not like me jealous with all the positive attention I am getting and I am loving every moment of it.

Take Care,
Deb

I have reached my 1st goalf 199 pounds and it took me  months to accomplish which is a wonderful success for me.  I am still loving my journey.  I am very lucky I do not have haning skin the way alot of people do after WLS.  I have skin beleive me!  My arms are like huge batwings, my legs are not so bad and my stomach is not that bad either.  I can see the formation of abs and it excites me!  I will wait another year and then seek out cosmetic surgery.  I do think becuase I swim each day and walk/run this has helped me in not having a lot of hanging extra skin.  Maybe I am wrong, could be and wouldn't be ther 1st time either.  I still watch what I eat closely and try my best not to go over 4 grams of sugar and watch every single fat gram that goes into my mouth.  I wish I was this good all thru my life, maybe I would not of been so big, who knows.  I love friut, vegtables and Snyders pretzels.  Prestzels are my "junk food" they cruch and taste good and give me that junk food satisfaction.  I will not let any sugary items pass thru my lips ever again.  I have done without it for over 8 months and do not miss it at all.  I have a 30 min lunch and I take 20 of those min and walk/run each day at work.  It feels so good to get out and be able to enjoy the outdoors.  I have joined a hiking group and even host some hikes.  My endurance has really beefed up.  I ran the 5k in March of 2012, did another one in May of 2012 and training for the 10k in March of 2013.  I am not looking for speed and be the fastest, I am looking for endurance, I can jog 1 mile and then have to walk about 5 min to catch up with myself and then jog another mile.  My last 5k took me 20 min and I was taking my time, and thought wow, that was easy.  I would of never thought I could actually do this ever in my life!  I love my life now and can't wait to see where this takes me.  My photographer who has been wonderful and following my journey and capturing it on film has set up hair and makeup for me and will be doing a shoot in my newer clothes and some special "chesecake" pics for the wonderful husband I have.  Going to make a special photo album for him.  This yr for Christmas, I am making memoery books for my kids and sending to them so they can see my journey as well.  Starting off with pics of them when they were small and thru the years pics of me with them and then the new mommy.  I am so excited over this and so proud of me.  The best thing I have ever done in my life is my children and now the 2nd best thinjg I have done (WLS) for myself and my family.
Take Care,
Deb

Life is so much better when you can actually move and enjoy everything, sports, hiking, swimming, walking and going different placesx without feeling like the largest uglist person in the room.  My self esteem is so high, I love it so much.  I am starting to play tennis now and thats more energizing exercise.  Trying to get my legs into shape.  The only skin I have hanging is on my arms. Not as much as other WL people have had.  I am very lucky I do not have any hanging skin on my abdomen.  I really do beleive its from all the exercixsing I have been doing.  I try to keeep active each and everydsay.  I don't like to sit still anymore.  My foods that I eat change from week to week,  One week I will be ok and can handle brocolli then the next week I can't do brocolli.  Which is ok, it keeps my fridge rotating with different foods.  My favorite foods that I can handle well is watermelon and pretzels.  Wish I could find unsalted pretzels.  I suppose the reason I like pretzels is becuase of the crunch.  I am enjoying my new life as a "skinny" person.  I was in the store shjopping the other day and a lady came up to me and siad, "You have great beautiful legs, wish I had legs like yours.  That made me feel so good.
Take Care
Deb

Hello Everyone,

Well I am 12 pounds from my 1st goal of 200 pounds.  I am in a size 16 jeans and a large shirt.  WOW what an accomplishment from what I used to be a size 32W.  I can finally say I am comfortable in my own skin.  Speaking of skin, I am actually surprised and releived that I do not have skin hanging like I have seen other people.  My skin around my tummy and leg area is pretty good and not a hanging.  Now I cannot say the same thing about my arms, but I do not mind the bat wings.

American Heart Assocaition fun run/walk is April 21 in Little Rock, AR.  Our gym at the company I work for nominagted me for the life acheivement award for living healthy and loosing weight.  I received a call on Friday from the AMerican Heart Association that I was just what they were looking for and said I won and will be giving me the award at the opening cerimonies.  I am so happy that everything is working out so well.  I have 2 runs and 1 stair climb and then our pool will be open and I can swim at home and not at the gym. 
I was introduced to a game called walleyball.  Its like racquet ball, but played with a volleyball and you hit it up against a wall.  Losts of movement and good leg exercises.  Taking tennis lessons and we have a beautiful tennis/racquet ball court were I live and bet of all its free to all homeowners who live i the gated community.  So I can have the tennis ball gun throw balls at me in many differant directions on the court to make me run from one corner to the other.  Very good exercise.  Good for the lungs and heart.
Still walk with the Little Rock hikers and walk with my dog along the river.  Loving every minute of the new me.  I want to loose 12 more pounds befor my 1st 6mo appointment in the last week of May. 
Was in Illinois last week, as my mom had alztimers and its sad to see your parent like that.  You know who they are, however their mind is failing and wandering away from them.  My mom forgets alot and is confused always.  I pray that a miracle will happen and she will be all better and this horrible disease will leave her body.  I love her so much.  She was such an inspiration to me and taught me everything I know.  I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!

Take Care,

Deb

The AMerican Lung association is having a "fight for air" climb.  You run up 39 flights of stairs in this huge scyscaper building in downtown little rock, ar.  Thing is each fllor has 2 sets of 14 steps, so its not onky 1 floor you are clinming at one time, its actually 2.  We had a practice climb last week to the 34th floor and I did it in 15 min.  First time ever in my entire life.  Now when I go to work, I opt to take the stairs to the 4th floor, thats an easy option after climing 1224 stairs.  Takes me no time and gives me extra exercise.  There are 2 more training camps and then on May 5 I take to the stairs wells for a verical climbing challege and race up not 24 floors, but 39 floors all the way to the top.   They state its more than a run, more than a walk.  After I finished my practice stair climb, I felt great!!!  Can't wait to do it again.
I joined a free clinic called womenrunarkansas.com.  It's a clinic that helps you run a 5k safely and helps you get stronger so you can run farther.  I want to run the 10k next yr and then the yr after that will try the full marathon.  We will see what happens.  I do have 3 5k races lined up next month.  Then the summer heat is here and who wants to run when you can't even breathe in the humidity, I will be in the pool!!.
I found a hiking/walking group in the area I have joined, we walk 7+ miles, its alot of fun especially when you are with other people.  On Fridays I take my doggy on a walk/run along the Arkansas river. Hoping to find a friend to walk/run with me on friday mornings.  It's a beautiful walk and there is a breeze to keep you cool. ALong the way there are different exercise moduals fo you to use.
Arkansas is a beautiful place to live and exercise, alwways wonderful scenery.

Take Care,

Deb

Yesterday was rainy and an incky day.  Can't do nothing outside. So this morning when I got up, the sun was shinning and the skies a beautiful blue.  I looked at my dog Marley and said "go for a" he knows that means go for a walk.  Maerley sprung up quickly went to his closet and where we keep his chain and he was ready.  Got into the car and went and parked at the Presitident Clinto Library and started walking.  There are 4 different bridges you can walk over the river on and then we went downtown and walked on the river front.  Brought plenty of water for Marley and me.  We walked, we jogged and Marley was a real champ.  He did not stop to rest and neither did I.  We were on our feet and paws for 2 hrs.  When we were walking back toward the car, Marley was very happy to get back to the car.  I wore the poor puppy out.  We had a good time and got lots of exercise and air.  I promised Marley and myself we will go for that walk often on the riverfront.  He is so much fun and keeps me company.  During the week I'm busy with work, the gym, training and my onlime courses.  Plus I started taking salsa lessons and meet up with a few friends 1 or 2 times a week and try to get a hike in at least 1x a week.  So my days are very full.  Sometimes I feel I ignore my wonderful friend Marley, so any additional time I can spend with him and show him I really do care, is a big plus!!!  Marley is so much company for me.  My hubby works nights and sleeps during the day, so we hardly see each other.  Thursday is one day out of the week we do something together. 

Take Care,

Deb