Band Adjustment

I traveled to Halifax this past week for a few doctors appointments, one of which was my Lap-Band Adjustment.  I was very very nervous because I am not a fan of needles, not that many people are, but I was not prepared for the pressure/pain that came.

The doctor had a hard time locating the port with the needle, even though he could find it from the outside without issue.  The main reason was that the port didn't lay flat on my muscle like it normally would.  Colin was with me and I was sure I was going to break his fingers.  I could hear the needle scraping against the plastic part of my port.  I thought I was just hearing it in my head but Colin said he could hear it too. Said it sounded like the metal scraping against your teeth when you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist.  He had to go in twice with a needle before he finally was able to hit the proper part of the port, however, in between the two needles he had to stick me with some freezing stuff because it was getting very very uncomfortable.  He even ended up pushing through some scar tissue which made the weirdest popping sound.

When he finally finished he said that I had 2.5cc in my band since surgery and then added another 0.5cc and although it seems like a small amount I could feel it within the first 24 hours.

Before the adjustment I was so frustrated that I was getting hungry within 30 minutes of eating my meals.  I was constantly craving sugar and never felt full. It was like I was back at square one mentally so I had to consciously push myself NOT to eat even though I was constantly hungry.  After the adjustment Colin, Mike and I went to Halifax Shopping Center and I knew I couldn't eat much, no breads, meat etc just liquid or mushy food, so I had an Orange Julius Berry-Pom Twilight Smoothie.  I added protein to it so I would get some in and it was DELICIOUS, however, I couldn't finish it which was something I hadn't felt/had to do in a long time.  I was starting to get back to the way I was feeling after surgery.  Yesterday I had my breakfast at 8am and didn't feel the slightest bit hungry till almost 11:30 which was so amazing to me. I didn't eat till noon and then didn't feel hungry again till close to 5pm and then wasn't hungry the rest of the evening.  I couldn't get over it, the adjustment had worked. 

I'm not sure why I was so surprised this happened because it is the whole premise behind the lap-band surgery but it was a pleasant surprise!!!

I didn't get weighed in this week though sadly because I was in Halifax and TOPS was cancelled due to no school.  I will weigh in again on Tuesday, February 19 and hope to see a good loss, but will be happy with at least 1lb seeing as the struggles I had been having prior to the adjustment.

NO MORE 300's

Sadly TOPS was cancelled last evening due to School being cancelled but I didn't want to go a week without getting weighed again.  So I got weighed in at home and since my scale is so close to the TOPS scale in weight I decided why not. 

I weighed in at 297.6lbs ... I am officially below 300lbs after losing 3.4lbs this week.  I won't weigh in at TOPS again until Feb 19, however, I am hoping to get weighed at my adjustment appointment next week.

I travel to Halifax on Monday for my Band Adjustment. It is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb 12th at 4pm.  I won't lie either ... I'm terrified because of the needle ... I don't know the length but my imagination is running away with itself and scaring me half to death. I will definitely post an update next week after my appointment to let everyone know how it went.

Some More Small Victories ...

Some of what I'm going to tell you about my small victories today might mean absolutely nothing to some of you because you have lived your life being able to do these things day in and day out without question, but for me they are happening for the first time, but definitely not the last time.

I went to the grocery store last evening to pick up what we needed for the next few weeks as well as pick up the water (18L bottle). Normally my mister will go get the water, put it in the van and then come back to do the rest of the grocery shopping with me. Unfortunately, this week, he is home sick with a HORRIBLE stomach flu and didn't go shopping with me at all. So it was all up to me.  I went about my shopping as normal, got everything I needed and then it was time to get the water. I was scared I wasn't going to be able to lift it at all, let alone into the cart and then out again when I got to the van but WOW I surprised myself.  I did it ... I picked up the water and put it in the cart like there was nothing to it, but that was only part of the battle. I paid for my groceries and off I went to the van. Again I looked at that bottle like there was no way I would get it out of the cart and into the van but again I did it ... still not done yet though. When I get home from groceries I have NEVER emptied the car myself, my lovely husband is always there to assist with the heavy items but not last night. I just couldn't ask him to get out of bed after the day and night he had put in with this flu so I went in and opened the door and then started the treks back and fourth to the car, thinking it would take forever but I did it in a really good time and even brought the water in all by myself. Some people might think that its not a big deal but I used to have such a hard time getting myself up my back steps and last night I walked up them with ease carrying a full 18L jug of water. I couldn't even believe it when I got into the house and put the jug down.

Today another small victory that most take for granted.  Hubby is still sick this morning and its garbage day.  I always get the garbage ready to be taken down to the curb, but I have never taken it down because walking down to the curb and back up used to get me so winded that I almost threw up.  Today I was able to bring the garbage down and walk back to the car as if I had been doing it all my life.  I wasn't winded, I was so excited.

I know now seeing these small victories that I can do this. That I can change my life so that these are normal things in every day life and not just small victories!!

I weigh in later this evening and will update this entry when I do!

I weighed in on Tuesday evening at 301lbs ... that's 4.4lbs down from last week!!

Finally Had an MRI

I am so happy to report that I have finally been able to fit in an MRI machine and as such had one done this morning.  I will not deny that I was terrified to go. The last time I went to have an MRI I was too large to fit in the machine and I paniced because they tried to squeeze me in even though I was panicing. 

Fast forward almost a year and here I am 60lbs down and the MRI is finally behind me.  I was not happy when I got there and realized I would also need to get an IV.  The MRI itself really was not as bad as I had thought it would but the IV hurt ... because I'm a wuss when it comes to needles.

Next on the agenda of getting my new self all healthy is to start scheduling my B12 shot appointments.  Again something I am dreading but I know in the long run it will make me feel so much better. I feel like the first part of this year is going well so far ... I am working on getting healthy as I lose weight ... I am doing things for ME and learning what it means to say no to people when I know I just can't add anything else to my week.

Just a Quick Update

Well last evening I received an order from Penningtons of some new tops.  I decided to order all the tops in a 1X even without trying them on.  I was very excited that all but one top fit. The one that doesn't fit will soon, its just a little more snug than I am comfortable wearing. So this morning when I put on 2 1X shirts and a pair of 2X pants I decided to do another progress picture.


Here they are!!

I have now gone from a 4X-5X top to a 1X in most tops and a 5X pant to a 2X pant in most pants.

Gained This Week then Lost Lots

Well TOPS was changed to Monday this week and I sadly gained 3.4lbs.  I can't say it wasn't a complete shock because I was not doing what I should have been every day. I was not measuring all my food, or exercising enough.  I can not and will not blame it on needing a band adjustment entirely, because I could have done more. I can always do more to become the healthy person I know I can be.

I went home from TOPS Monday evening with a new sense of direction ... I planned to get up on Tuesday morning and start a new exercise routine, or at least add to what I was doing.  Sadly instead of doing that I got the Stomach Flu! Since that morning I have lost 13lbs ... something I know won't last by any means but WOW did that ever hit hard.  I weighed in on Monday evening at 305.4lbs and this morning I weighed in at 292lbs Something I haven't seen in YEARS and YEARS. I know that it is a short lived weight loss (at least of this magnitude all at once) but wow does it ever feel great!! I will definitely see this weight again but I know it won't be there at the next weigh-in as long as I can continue to keep food down, but I vow to get close to it!!

The New Me ...

16 weeks ago today I was getting ready to head to Toronto for surgery.  I am still in awe that I had surgery let alone am fully recovered and living my new-to-me life.  I am down over 60lbs and very very close to being below 300lbs.

I have always wanted to be able to just get up and go each morning without pain.  Previous to surgery I can't even count on one hand how many days I was able to wake up pain free. My hips, legs, feet, even my arms would be killing me each morning.  In the last few months I live a new reality, I wake up each morning pain free, refreshed, and ready to tackle a new day.

Before surgery I was also too large to use the WiiFit I bought almost 5 years ago.  I absolutely love it but I was way over the weight restrictions of the board it uses.  Saturday I was able to use it!!!  I have also been able to do yoga moves I wouldn't even have thought of trying before.  

I believe this is the smallest I have been in at least 7 years, possibly more. Sadly I am paying for all this today.  My legs are BURNING!!