Kathi C.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

1.  ORGANIZE, DE-CLUTTER and STREAMLINE are primary goals for the new year.  (same as Gina-MajorMom).  I live in a condo, there is not room of all of the stuff I have.  I need to decide what we need and get rid of the rest.  There are only three choices:  Put it away, throw it away or give it away.  Sounds easy, huh.

2.  THOROUGHLY clean my home.  I haven't felt good enough to do much around the house for quite sometime (diabetes, obesity, etc).  I have someone who cleans, but she isn't really very good.  I need to take everything out of everywhere (cupboards, closets, drawers, shelves) and clean thoroughly.  I used to be nicknamed "Mrs. Clean."  Well, that title hasn't fit for many years.  I want my house clean and organized (like it used to be).  And I am the only person who can really do this because no one else knows what I want to keep or discard or where I want things to live.  (Reading some posts between two OCD queens made me long for who I used to be.  Clean, organized, OCD, crazy maybe, but I knew where everything was and nothing was dusty.)

3.  To CONTINUE on with my WLS journey to my goal.  To continue following my doctor's protocol.

4.  To CONTINUE walking and to ADD some strength and flexibility exercises.

5.  To HONOR God in all that I say and all that I do.

Praise God!!  As of today (yes, I weigh every day), I have lost half as much as I want to lose.  I am half way to my goal!!  (And I'm still on Phase III; I don't even get to add vegetables until New Year's Eve.  LOL)

Since I have chosen not to share the fact that I had surgery with anyone except my mom, my daughter and my husband (plus necessary medical personnel); OH is the only place I have to jump up and down!!   I am so happy!!!  

I don't post much, but I live on OH and would be lost without this site. I am praying for everyone to have a blessed and peaceful Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

Today I am 7 weeks out from surgery and I am in Onderland!  I took pictures!  I am so happy!!

     
These are my feet on my scale.  I got off and back on about 10 times to make sure this was REAL!! 

It is real!

Part of me is proud, part of me is having a difficult time acknowledging it.  I keep noticing the little things that are different.  I could actually put my purse beside me in a normal chair, yesterday at the movies. 

I had a jacket I bought years ago , on a cruise, that I was going to lose weight to be able to wear (still had the tags on it).  I probably weighed about what I do now. I put it on the other day and I can wear a size L (it is tight and it would stretch the elastic if I wore it zipped, but I can zip it) and did I mention it is a size Large.  I realize it is probably a man's large, but it has no X's.  I started this journey wearing a 3XXX T-Shirt.  I was actually going to give it away a few months before I started considering surgery.  I am glad I kept it, just for the WOW factor (plus I can always use warm clothes for Flagstaff).

My mom gave me some shirts she can't wear, size 1X and they fit fine.  I wasn't trying them on because I was sure I was too big for them.  She kept asking if I had worn them.  I tried them on to keep her from nagging.  Good thing, it won't be long before they are slipping off my shoulders.

1.       I walk nearly everyday 1.5 miles (in just under 30 minutes).  Missed today because I was tired.  I could be doing this twice a day.
2.       Get my protein in (at least 70 gm./daily); mostly from food.
3.       Get my water in (at least 64 oz.); no caffeine.
4.       Usually wait 30 minutes after drinking to eat and after eating to drink.  Don't always remember to wait 30 minutes.
5.       Gave up diet Coke prior to starting pre-op diet (want one badly!!!!!).
6.       Eating too much dairy.  Makes calorie count higher and may make me have to stay on Cholesterol meds.
7.       Have increased my eating too much.  I am only supposed to have 3 oz. 3x/day.  I eat 4 oz sometimes 4x/day.   I am eating the "right" things when I snack, but I am not supposed to be snacking.
8.       Supposed to take 30 minutes to eat a meal.  I eat too quickly. I usually finish in 10-15 minutes.
9.       I am eating to be eating because I am discouraged about weight loss and I am feeling grief over losing food as a source of comfort.  This has been going on since Thanksgiving (about 3 weeks, now).
10.    I know I don't dump because early out I had some infant's Tylenol and did not realize, until I swallowed it that it had something disgustingly sweet (high fructose corn syrup) in it.  I did not dump, so assume sugar is not a problem for me.  (Too bad!!)
11.    I do take my vitamins, have only missed a couple of calcium in nearly 7 weeks.  (Am taking calcium 3x/day, missed two or three dosages; not days).
12.    I wanted to be perfect at this journey and I am not and it makes me upset with myself.  (Oh, maybe that is why I want to eat all of the time.)
13.    I journal all of my food on MyPlate.com.
14.    This should make me satisfied, not discouraged.  When is it enough??

I know that we speak life and death with our words.  This is my testimony.  I will, by the grace of God, lose this excess weight and keep it off.  I will listen to His voice and follow the rules of my surgeon and his staff.  This time will be different because I am different and God has allowed me this tool to enable me to be successful at this weight loss journey.

I will, by His grace, bring honor and glory to my Saviour by being a living testimony of His mercy and goodness.

In Jesus' name.  Amen

When I asked my PCP about WLS surgery, she said, "I wouldn't do that to my body."  I moved my hand around indicating my big self and said, "Oh, this is so much better?"  My tiny little doctor then gave me the referral and 4 1/2 months later I am nearly 7 weeks out from RNY, down over 50 pounds and happy as a clam.  I have felt good from the beginning (a couple of little incidents, but nothing major) and can do more than I have been able to do in years.

The receptionist in her office said, "You aren't that big."  I said, "Yes, I am that big."  And that stopped the conversation.  (Her mom, SIL and husband have had the surgery and she is not small.)

I am taking less than half of the meds I was taking prior to surgery, my blood sugars are normal, my blood pressure is normal and I FEEL GOOD.

BTW, I have only told people who HAD TO know.  My husband, my daughter and my mom know (because they live here).  My in-laws and my son (who lives in Arizona) do not even know.  I won't lie, but I won't volunteer the information.

Yesterday, my podiatrist asked me if I had lost a lot of weight, like 40 or 50 pounds, and jokingly said, "What did you do, have your stomach stapled or something?"  I said, "Cut."  Then she asked me why I didn't tell her.  I told her I didn't tell anyone who didn't need to know. 

I KNOW people want to be helpful, but their well meaning remarks aren't something I care to hear at this age.  (I am 62; I think I can make my own decisions.  I am an adult and not yet completely senile.  LOL)

Although my losing is very slow, I am happy with my RNY.  I have had relatively minor problems and am able to eat and drink fine, if I remember to slow down and eat and drink more slowly. 

Before surgery, I practiced chewing, which has become a habit, but I am still shoveling food too quickly into my mouth.  I use small children's utensils, but that doesn't seem to help much.  I am supposed to take 30 minutes to eat each meal.  I usually finish in 10-15 minutes.

Since I never was a sipper and did not practice sipping, I still have a tendency to gulp, especially when I am thirsty. Earlier tonight, I took a big gulp of ice water and it actually hurt my pouch.  I don't think I damaged anything, but it was very uncomfortable.

My podiatrist noticed my weight loss today.  She was impressed.  She said, "what are you doing?  Did you have your stomach stapled or something?"  I said, "Cut."   Then she talked about another patient who had WLS and was doing so well.  I think she might have been a little embarrassed because she didn't really expect me to say yes.  She was impressed that I am off so many meds.  (Me too!!)  She asked me why I didn't tell her I was having surgery.  I had to tell her that I didn't tell anyone, including my son who lives in Arizona.

I just feel that this is such a personal journey, I don't want to share it with anyone I feel will not understand.  I also feel that many people do or will feel that it is the easy way out and I don't feel like educating them at this point in my life.

My longtime friend and neighbor, Ellie has mentioned that I am losing weight a couple of times.  I just told her I am trying.

I really wanted to get to "Onderland" by my birthday, but only got to 203.  Today, I weighed 200.5.  I am so close, I can almost taste it!!

Today is my birthday  and I am 62!  I love it.  To me, this seems like a milestone.  I feel so much better than I did last year (and for at least 6 years before).  This weight loss has certainly improved my life!

I feel so blessed that I was able to have the surgery, that it was approved so quickly and that it was completely paid for (except for about $800 in co-pays and self pay for the NUT and PSY that CC required).

God is good. 

and I am feeling great and doing great.  I have had a couple of bad episodes.  Once eating too quickly (ham & cheese; made myself sick) and once eating chicken (too dry), but when I am careful and do what I am supposed to do, I have no problems.  I can eat anything (still at the "pureed" stage) allowed.  I have no trouble drinking the amount of water I should and I get enough protein in each day.  I am careful to ensure that I take my vitamins.  Many OH posts have convinced me that skipping protein, water and/or vitamins is not something I want to do.

I was doing so well at walking until I fell down and twisted my knee last Saturday.  I took a couple of days off and now am back to walking around the walking path (1.5 miles), but my time is not up to what it was and I am only walking once daily (was walking twice daily).  It didn't hurt to walk tonight, but I still think I need to be careful since my knee is so weak.

Well, this is just a tiny bump in the road.  Today, I had a flu shot and my arm hurts and is all red and I have a giant welt there.  It is like this every year, but I don't want to get the flu.  I was late getting my shot, this year, because of the surgery, but I am glad that things worked out for me to have surgery so quickly.  I would hate to be waiting for months (or years).  I have really been blessed.

Overall, I am doing very very well.  I have lost close to 50# since August 21.  That is not bad.

Well, I guess I "jinxed" myself.  Yesterday was really a BAD day.  At 2:30, I had l measured out 2 oz. of deli chicken, cut really little and chewed very well (ok for where I am on my surgeon's program).  I couldn't finish it.  I felt TOO full.  I gave the rest to the cat and went to the grocery store.  Two hours after eating, I took a sip of water.  It was ok.  Took another sip and OUCH!!!  Still too full.  Came home, put groceries away and went for a walk with my husband (32 minutes, but much slower than we had been walking pre surgery).  I wasn't sure I was going to make it home.  I was just exhausted.  (We have been walking daily, sometimes 2 xs daily.)  I decided a cup of hot tea might be good, so I made a soup cup (20 oz.) of Herbal Orange Spice Tea.  Smelled and tasted wonderful.  Ok, so that went down ok, so I had some Metamucil.  Trying to keep "regular." Husband suggested splitting it in half since it gets so thick and is difficult to drink quickly.  That worked, had 2 half servings.  Decided a little later I probably should eat dinner.  Two bites of cottage cheese and I thought I was going to explode.  I hurt so badly.  Couldn't get comfortable.  Standing, laying down, sitting, nothing worked.  I walked around the house, and then I got the "foamies."  Then I upchucked, I was still miserable, and then I upchucked again about 30 minutes later.  After that, I felt like someone had hit me in the belly with a bat.  I just hurt.  Eventually, I was feeling well enough to get in the rest of my vitamins, supplements and medications.  Went to bed, slept on my left side with a pillow under my belly (something I had seen on OH) and when I finally got comfortable, I slept about 5 hours then posted for Mary and went back to bed for another 4 hours. 

Today, I am feeling ok.  I had my usual Activia for breakfast and it went down ok, so I will just be very very careful today and see how it goes.