Kari M.

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Well! I hope everyone is doing as well as I am!!!

I'm about 22 months out, I've stayed down at 121-122 lbs, I'm not as energetic as I was...but I'm married as of 4/9/11, and now, just found out that I'm preggers!!! holy smokes. Although, my family has a history of miscarriages, so we shall see! I am "cautiously optimistic" - fo sho!

My life consists of hanging out with my friends, eating WHATEVER I want...minus sugar...and enjoying life. My current favorite food is crab legs, and man, can I put them away! :) Good protein, right? ;)

I hope everyone keeps in touch - it's somewhat hard for me to log in, but I try to from time to time!

Reflecting on the last year, it has occurred to me that I know weigh less than the total amount of weight that I have lost. I've lost a whole person. That's just insane!

It's been a good year, though. I've had my mental issues - specifically when "friends" of mine tell everyone about my surgery experiences. I don't mind people knowing, I just mind the way they find out. i.e. I want to be able to tell my story.  My family has been great, my boyfriend has been extremely helpful (we're getting married in April, woohoo!), and my co-workers and boss have all been amazing. Lucky for all of them, I'm still on my pre-surgery Prozac regime. :) But, I'm honestly not sure I could have done it without it. Winter was hard for me, mentally, to get through. I had extreme seasonal depression - no, not to the point that I wanted to do anything drastic, but I didn't want to DO anything period. I'm a total homebody, and don't like any of the attention I've been getting. Now instead of people telling me I look great, they tell me that I need to quit losing...hello, this isn't just something I can turn off people! ha. But, I feel good, overall. My knees quit hurting, my back doesn't hurt, I can walk into any store and purchase whatever the maniquin is wearing, and look as good as it does. It's sooooo amazing...no words can describe it. :)

BUT, what does hurt: 1) my wallet and 2) my butt. It's boney. I can't sit on the floor without it hurting. So, that's something to get used to. Oh, and my gas is SOOOO horrible! it can fill up the entire house!

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to get on here more often. :)

So, I went into Ann Taylor this weekend to look for a Christmas Party outfit...and got into a size 12 skirt! It doesn't look good, but i got it up and zipped. :) So, I bought it, and figured I could wear it in the future. YAY!

So, for my 2 1/2 month RNYversary I've decided to take part in the annual Alzheimer's Memory Walk...at the Sedgwick county zoo. Normally I don't really get into things like this, partly because I'm a little embarrassed that I won't be able to walk all the way around the zoo. But I've come to realize that WHO CARES???? Other than myself, that is. This insecurity to be around large groups of "in shape" folks is something that I have created!!!  So, I'm walking for a cause! :)  I don't have to go any certain speed, or look like one of those people who speed walk around shopping malls; I'm just going to be me, and enjoy my friends, family, and hopefully lovely day!!!

So, I've really enjoyed exercising and walking with my buddies. So much so, that I've decided to do the IMPOSSIBLE (or what I used to think was impossible!).

I'm going to start running. Yep, you heard right! I found a great workout online, called "From Couch Potato to 5K in 2 months". Well, i HIGHLY doubt it will just take me 2 months, however, I'm going to try my hardest!

This morning was my first time "jogging" in probably 12 years...since HS! And it SUCKED!!! But, I have a great support system in my running buddy (she can, of COURSE, run miles already), and she's being great. I know I turned beet red this morning, but I survived. I have a little pain in my hip, but hey, what else can be expected when someone weighing 200+ lbs starts running!

I'm very excited, and hope that I can follow through with this. Wish me luck!

Oh, and if you're interested in trying it (we can be buddies together!!!), here's the link.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml


Disney World puts on races throughout the year, maybe, if some of you challenge yourself, we could meet up there! Good Luck!!! 

Well! One month post-op is H-E-R-E!!! WHEW! There for awhile, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it…but it was actually much easier than I thought! Let’s see…what’s happened so far…

 

I’ve lost 33 POUNDS!!! Wow. I know. Amazing. J I’m still not sure that I can tell in anything but my clothes, but it is still pretty exciting. J J J

 

I am SOOOO lucky. I’ve complained about pain and stuff a little (and only puked twice!!!), but yesterday I had my 1 month post-op class with others who went through the surgery around the same time as I did, and I’ve had it EASY!!! There were approximately 15-20 people in my class. I can drink a bottle of water (16-20 oz) in one hour…about 50% can still only get down about 4-6 oz. per hour. CRAZY! They need to push themselves more, and just do it. but, I’m not a physician, so I can’t really say that to them.  We’re supposed to get in at least 65 grams of protein in per day, I’m getting about 70 in (with Isopure, and cheese sticks), and there are others who can’t even get in 10 grams. I make it a priority, because one of the side effects of the surgery is hair loss, and I’m not ABOUT to go through that when I know how to stop it. J  There’s a girl in my class that has been in the hospital 3 times since 7/21 for dehydration…she’s actually got something wrong with her, though…I think!  And, some people can’t keep anything down, and are still on Jello…yuck.

 

The vitamins are STILL getting old, but I don’t have to have chewables anymore (except mine almost cost me about $200, so I’m going to get through them one way or another!)

 

My current diet consists of shrimp, tuna, white fish, crackers, toast, chicken and turkey deli meat. On Sunday, I get to start cheerios, lettuce/salad dressing, cooked veggies, fruit (no citrus). Yay for fiber!!! Ha.

 

Anyway…I thought I’d bore you with the details. J I’m beginning to feel better (my asthma is G-O-N-E!!!!!!!!!!!), and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. J 

I can’t believe I’m 3 weeks post-op!

 

My 15 observations for the week:

1.      it is so weird that my itty-bitty surgeon knew EXACTLY what would hurt on me, and how to handle it. I mean, she’s never had the surgery…how’d she know? She thought that my left side would feel like a Charlie horse…and it does. She said to use the big body pillows instead of sleeping on my tummy…it works. But, the Tylenol doesn’t work too well. other than my side, I’m not in real pain anymore (unless I bend awkwardly)

2.      I heard over and over that I wouldn’t be able to take as big of swallows of drinks, and I’ve not had a problem with it. I don’t gulp down an entire glass of water or anything, but I can take normal sized drinks.

3.      The mashed potatoes are getting REALLY old, but dairy (i.e. pudding) doesn’t settle well. Milk is fine in my oatmeal and cream of wheat, but the pudding is too sweet.

4.      Next week I get to add back: deli turkey or chicken, shrimp, tuna, toast, crackers, and cheese. WAHOO! I think I’m going to take a mozzarella stick, roll some turkey around it, and dip it in some picante sauce. You think it sounds gross, but it is my #1 craving right now. Ha. I'll tell you all about it next week.

5.      I’m not losing a bunch of weight, but the inches are FALLING off of me. J OK – so almost 30 lbs in 5 weeks is a lot, but c’mon, I thought it’d be more. J

6.      I ate ½ of a VERY ripe peach last night (with my baby spoon), chewed well, and it was the best thing I’ve eaten since June! YUM! But I wouldn’t recommend baby “1’s” peaches…blech! Gggrrrooossssssssss (so were the carrots)

7.      Taking my vitamins ALL THE BLEEPING TIME is getting old, too. I do it, just so my hair won’t fall out…oh, and

8.      My nails and hair won’t stop growing. My hair is so long I can get it into a scrunchy when I walk. My nails are like DAGGERS, in fact, I scratched my face last night, and it bled. Ha.

9.      I can bend over and pick stuff up off the ground now (slowly, but painless!)

10. My arms are all bumpy. It’s kind of a weird little experiment, really. All I eat is mashed pots made with skim milk, cream of wheat (w/ milk), and oatmeal w/ milk. It’s CRAZY how bumpy they are!

11. I walked 5000 steps last night around the golf course and up some pretty steep inclines, and my asthma is GONE. I’ve not wheezed at all, my face didn’t turn purple like it used to (I know, I’m a dork), and I could have kept going. Eric made me stop though, but I think it was because Chloe was having a hard time keeping up.

12. My incisions are healing, in fact, I think they are all (5) closed up. YAY!!!That means I'll get to wear a bikini next summer. (no, I’m not going to slut it up, Stephanie)

13. I am so tired, I feel like I’m getting over mono again…I could sleep 15 hours a day right now, and still be able to go to bed at night. Saturday and Sunday were sleeping in days…until 11! That’s crazy for me! It is a little unsettling. and my attention span is like 4 seconds. Work is HARD.

14. Eric and I figured that we’re saving about $500/month on food right now (no eating out, no grocery stores, etc). That’s quite a bit a year.

     15. Finally…whenever I know I should go to the bathroom (notice I didn’t say NEED), I don’t take iron  for 2 days J J J J Then, I lose 2 more pounds. HAHAHAHAHAHA.

OK - so, it is official, I have survived the worst experience of my entire life...barely. I was released on Thursday afternoon, and was a mess until about 2:30 am Friday morning...and used 1/2 the bottle of my pain meds (thankfully my mom is an RN so it was all safe!). My mom and boyfriend (Eric) were amazing through the whole process, but I wasn't. I can't imagine ever thinking that it wouldn't be too bad, because it was terrible. BUT, today is Saturday, and I'm actually doing OK. Everything is working OK, my pain is no longer at a level 10, but is more like bad cramps, which I can live through. There for awhile, though, I really didn't know what I'd gotten myself into...and I think I scared my mom and Eric half to death.   Anyway, the plan is for my yucky drainage tube to come out on Monday morning. My mom has to be back in Wichita on Monday 8am, but my dad is coming to Columbia tomorrow to take me home (Wichita) after my appointment, so they can keep taking care of me. Then my parents and I will meet Eric in KC, and he'll take me home.  My parents are amazing, and I really don't know what I would have done without my mom.

I met with the surgeon yesterday...but had to wait FOREVER to be seen! When I finally spoke with her, she was very personable and down to earth. Not at all what I thought surgeons were like! She went over everything again, and honestly, the surgery itself and the hospital stay are what frightens me the most! Ugh! Especially the catheter! Bleck!

I just have to keep my eye on the prize, and be strong...one more week to go! The protein is getting better, I've added the broth (I was craving salt), Popsicles, and TONS of Crystal Light. It isn't too difficult right now. Plus, I'm beginning to notice that my clothes are ALREADY feeling looser. YAY! It was the intent of this process, right?

My boyfriend said last night "Your face is already looking better"...I know what he meant, but still, you don't say that to someone! I mean, my face has ALWAYS looked the same, just a bit wider, right? Ha! He also said, "Just think if you kept doing this protein diet for a year, you'd still lose the weight, and wouldn't have to go through the surgery!", my response, "Yep, but in another year, I'll have gained it all back, PLUS 50 lbs". He's never had to fight with his weight. Oh, well...

So, I'm sitting here in my 7th floor office and watching a beautiful storm roll across the mid-Missouri. It is beautiful. The green of the trees is just POPPING! I love thunderstorms.

Anyway, good luck to all of you who are getting ready for your surgery! Just have to keep our eyes on the prize!!!

My surgery was originally scheduled for August 11, 2009. I've been really happy to have a month to get in my "last suppers"...but, I got a phone call a couple of days ago (7/8) from the Drs office, and they moved my surgery up to July 21st. That meant that I had to begin protein the same day. WHEW! I hadn't even purchased anything to get ready for this. Luckily, I got paid on Wednesday, so I was able to drop $70 on supplies, but my planned month of "eating across Kansas" (as my dad put it, didn't work. I think that this is better...but now my nerves are SHOT. blech...and the protein shakes aren't Chipotle.  Hopefully, I can make it!