Beautiful Blogger Award

Thank you to Jenny at http://hungrygirlsdiary.blogspot.com/ for my Beautiful Blogger award. She is newly banded as of June 9, so be sure to check her out and give her some support! I'm truly honored; my very first blog award! I felt lucky just to figure out how to blog! I'm almost more proud of my blog than I am of any weight loss. :) (almost, not quite) Hugs Jenny!

I'm supposed to tell my readers seven things about myself that you don't already know before I pass this award onto seven other bloggers. Hmmm...this is hard.

1-I used to be a lifeguard in high school and college

2-I was in the state Jr. Miss pageant when I was a sr. in high school

3-I used to model in my 20's (that did not help any body image issues)

4-I met my husband when he was my karate teacher

5-My children have me hooked on USA TV shows: Burn Notice, Psych, Royal Pains & White Collar (LOVE Neal-see pic above-it is almost a sin to be that good looking)

6-I am obsessed with reading (after surgery I read about 15 books in 20 days)

7-I work another part time job in direct sales (15 years) in addition to teaching

I'm now supposed to list 7 blogs for the "Beautiful Blogger" awards. That is not easy. I follow close to 100 blogs. I keep track of all of you on my dashboard. Generally, I try to read and comment on about 15 - 20 a day. It is a bit easier now, since I'm out of school. I LOVE everybody I follow. I truly smile, laugh and cry. Can't wait to connect in Chicago (I live about an hour and a half northwest of the city). If I could, I would list all 100 of you!!!

1- Miss Vickie http://thequeenbeeslapbandlife.blogspot.com/

2-Ellen http://ellenslapbandblog.blogspot.com/
(both Vickie and Ellen were banded a day before me, so I feel we are connected:)

3-Shelly http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/
She had gastric bypass, but still has the most awesome blog and recipes. I feel like I can cook after reading her entries. They are awesome!!!

4- Perry http://pieinprogress.blogspot.com/
She was banded a few weeks before me and is as cute as can be...must be the red hair
Plus, I always think of food when I go to her blog

5-Cara http://carasquest.blogspot.com/
She is a long time bandster, a year out. Cara is from Perth, Australia and is busy with work and her boys. I just felt connected to her at this stage of my life.

6 - Jen http://andjustwhowereyouexpecting.blogspot.com/
My Chicago Boobs trip roomie

7 - Kristen http://kris10-mylapbandjourney.blogspot.com/
She sponsors the Summer Melt Down Challenge and I appreciate her organizing it and staying on top of it.

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Support Group Meeting

I went to one of the local monthly support group meetings last night for our WLS facility. It is held twice a month at the hospital where surgeries are done. (2nd Monday of the month 6 - 8 pm & last Saturday of the month 10 am - noon). It is a different agenda at each meeting. This meeting was standing room only, with over 60 people there. Some were several years out from having had surgery, some recent like myself and then others who were still waiting for insurance approval. Most meetings have a speaker (dietitian, personal trainer, psychologist...) People share their successes for their month if they would like, there are door prizes, money is collected (optional) to contribute to the activity fund. There is a summer picnic, Halloween party, Christmas party, clothing sale...

The fun thing about this meeting was after about 30 min of items on the agenda we divided into two groups, lapbanders and gastric bypass. There were about 28 lapbanders and 35 or so gastric patients. The two nurses from the practice facilitate the groups. (both have had wls/one gastric and one lap band). Our nurse went over some info in a packet talking about fills and how to be successful with the band. The best part is when the participants shared their experience and offered advice. It was fun to hear what bandsters several years out had to say. I think we should divide into groups more often and just chat.

I did feel bad for a woman who has not had surgery yet and came to the meeting to decide which route to go. She sat in on the lap band session and decided that sounded like too much work with all of the fills, and she didn't like needles. :)

One of my favorite quotes from the night was "not deprivation, but moderation." I think that is a good way to sum of lapband lifestyle. :)

I get so much information on the blog lists, it is hard to imagine anything new I could pick up at support group. The biggest thing I took away is how the journey is different for each person. One person had no trouble eating lettuce and yet the person right next to her eats it every day.

I will wrap with another fun quote, "There are no failures, only delayed successes!"

I'm in Jeans

Okay, ignore the geeky pic...but I'm in jeans! I had these in my storage closet, but decided to start trying some things on today just to see where I was at. I'm in jeans...and I can breathe! I carry most of my weight in the center of my body (boobs & tummy). I have no waist.

I put on what I thought were my cute shoes! It takes so little to make me happy these days!

Now to take the 17 year old shopping for interview clothes. :) She has an interview at the local ice cream shop. They make all their own ice cream. There is always a line out the door. It is truly the local hot spot. Willpower on my part...Ice cream is part protein , right? :)

Happy weekend!

Nanny Nanny Boo-Boo

Great scale victory...I weigh less than my husband...195.6 as of this am!!! He reads my blog so he knows I mean it affectionately! One of my goals was to weigh less than him (a lot less than him, but this is a good start:)

I'm down over 16 lbs. Weight loss seems to be better now that I'm eating purees!

Happy weekend!

New Scale & Burping

See the lame-0 scale on the left? It quit working. Put a new battery in it...still not working? Maybe it got tired of me standing on it 20x a day. :) My children pointed out that it is at least 7 years old...and in teenage years that is virtually an antique.

I went to my favorite bath store, complete with my 20% off coupon and purchased this fun new beauty. I thought it was pretty because it looked like tile. It is too soon to tell if we love each other yet...time will tell.

Ellen posted on her blog about burping and I thought that didn't apply to me. BUT I realized often after I eat I have a big hiccup. It sort of sounds like the start of a hiccup, but I just have one. Maybe that is my burp. :) Is this normal?

Loving the puree stage! So much easier! Not drinking while eating is not easy for me. Not a big deal on the liquid stage, but a bit tricky now.

Happy one day until weekend!

Incision Pix - Two Weeks Out

Ignore the lumpy tummy...it kind of looks like my puree diet right now. :) BUT...the five incisions look great for two weeks and one day out. Some day I hope to have Amy Abs!

Started Puree diet today...I'm in heaven!!! It just feels good to have something of substance.

You can buy pre-cooked baked potatoes from the freezer in the grocery store. I microwave a 1/4 of a baked potato sprinkled with a few tbsp. of non-fat dry milk, then stir in a couple tbsp. of low-fat cottage cheese and you have a REAL MEAL!!! 24 days is a long time waiting!

Happy Hump Day!

Bogie and I...Two Weeks Into Our Journey

Today is the last day of my liquid lifestyle and I cannot say I'm the least bit sad! :) I thought I would do a quick blog entry today called "This Much I Know" similar to what Oprah does on the last page of her magazine. I think that in a year from now, some of these details will be forgotten to me, so it is good to document them for myself and others on the journey.

Today is also my two week banding anniversary date. I have lost 14 lbs.
6 lbs. were lost during the 10 day liquid pre-0p

6 lbs. were lost the week after surgery
2 lbs. were lost this last week (slowing down, but still going in the right direction)

I've never lost 14 lbs. in 24 days before, so I'm very happy. My only fear was the day before surgery. I was getting cocky with the pre-op diet, telling myself that I didn't need surgery...I could do this on my own, just following the pre-op plan. Let's face it, I was just scared. Once I talked to the team nurse (who also has had lapband) I felt much better. I would have never made it this far on my own. Example, my youngest daughter had an end of the school party and sleepover which involved LOTS of junk food. I would have eaten half of the stuff right along with them if I wasn't banded. Bogart (my band) is my little "slap on the hand". I would have never been as diligent about portion size as I am now. In the past, what I ate for dinner would have been close to the amount I eat all day now. I admit...I HAD little willpower.

Back to what I know.

Prior to Surgery: The best thing I did was read and start a blog. It got me in the mindset and gave me a better feel for the surgery and what to expect before, during and after. There is just only so much the dr. can tell you ahead of time. My bloggers gave me a picture. I religiously took notes as I read (recipes, things to buy....) One big thing I discovered is that we are all different. Things I prepared for didn't all apply to me.

Surgery Itself: Out of all of my surgeries (knee, c-section...) I consider this one the easiest. I was in surgery about 7:30 am and on the way home about 3 pm. I only took pain meds the first day after surgery. I was not hungry at all the first couple of days. Nothing was particularly painful. It was tricky laying down flat and trying to sit up, but that only lasted a few days. I never had any of the gas pains that some people have dealt with, which was a big relief. Someone suggested to bring a pillow in the car during the drive home. It does help cushion your stomach. I used a pillow for a couple of days. Personally, I drove less than 24 hrs. after surgery to take a car to the shop. While it was doable, I wouldn't recommend it. I was just a little sore to twist and look behind me. Within a few days, I was fine driving.

After surgery: One of my biggest concerns prior to surgery is that I would FEEL the band inside me constantly, haunting me. I don't feel my band at all. If I rub my hand over my tummy I think I can feel my port (at least I think that is what it is). I only think about my band when I eat and make food choices. My scars are barely visible. I will take another pic in a few weeks, but I'm surprised how faint they are. The small ones look like little scratches. The hardest part so far has been the LIQUIDS; with pre-op this is 20 days of liquids. I just desire crunching. Thank goodness for communion at church on Sunday...I had the biggest smile of anyone. I didn't think it counted as cheating if it was at church. :) Also, a big pat on the back for my dh who had only liquids with me on Sunday. I think he lost 3 lbs. in one day. So not fair!

As a teacher, I have the summer off aside from an inservice day or two and a couple of conferences in July. Take it easy the first week. I read about a book a day and took a little walk.

That was pretty much it. By week two, I'm up doing my regular "stuff" and feel fine. Only thing that is a little odd, I feel better if I sit up and have good posture. I guess I hunch over too much in my computer chair. Could be my imagination, but "Bogart" likes good posture.

Tomorrow I'm onto PUREES! Anything is game as long as I make it the consistency of pudding!

Thanks for listening, commenting, sharing...it makes the journey more fun to have company along the way.