6 Weeks Down 100 Pounds Gone! Update & Pics - Long

 

*sings*

Finally it has happened to me right in front of my face and my feelings can't describe it!

Finally it has happened to me right in front of my face and I just cannot hide it!

Finally THE SLEEVE came along! The way I feel about it just can't be wrong!

If she only knew the way I feel about her! I just can't describe her! Ohh ohh ohh!

 

So it's officially been six weeks (and three days...yes I had to go to a website that tracked dates and figure this out because I was at war with the calendar LOL!) since my VSG on July 2.  I feel good, I know I LOOK good, and I am SO EXCITED about the changes that I've made, am working on, and that are forth coming. 

 

Everyone gives the advice that if you are on the fence about having this surgery to just DO IT! I will agree but please, PLEASE, PLEASE make sure you do your research BEFORE you let someone go in and cut out 80% of your stomach! The longer I stay on OH and see posts like "I'm getting sleeved next week and I want to know exactly what happens" are driving me BONKERS! Seriously? You scheduled and are about to have a surgery and you really don't know WHAT they are going to do with your belly once they cut you open??!?!?!?!  Sweet Baby Jesus on the Mountain Top Get It Together!!! But that's a whole 'nother post...I can't...I just can't. I’ll get back to ya’ll later about that.

 

I started this journey on March 20th of this year by beginning my pre-op Atkins diet (on my own) to lose the required 78.5 pounds prior to surgery. I am very proud of myself that between then and the liquid diet I was able to lose a total of 63 pounds prior to surgery.  Words cannot express how good I feel that I have been able to accomplish this much of a loss in less than six months (5 ½ almost to be exact…or 149 days).  With losing that much that is about a 1.5 pounds per day lost.  I returned to see Dr. H on August 2 for my official one month post-op follow up and I am happy to report that I lost a whopping 31 pounds during my first month after surgery.

I know already that I cannot and should not expect loss numbers that high going forward for a few reasons and I’m okay with that. Keep in mind that I am quoting and claiming 100 pounds lost because I weighed at the very end of the day yesterday so I know that for a large part I was retaining all of the water, bloat, and everything else that comes along with the day…including some bowel issues (TMI I know…posted about it some last night).

 

The basic stuff you may be wondering about has been going well for me. I didn’t have a lot of swelling (at least I don’t think so), I’ve been able to get in my liquids (trying to increase it because that will help keep me regular), and I am tolerating things well in terms of what I eat.

 

As for OH, I love coming on and reading but I have found myself having to pull away a little more lately because I tend to want to compare how I am doing with others and that just drives me bonkers so I try to limit my time and what I read when I come on. Nothing against anyone at all but I just have to make sure I’m happy and OK with what I am doing and not keep worrying about if I’m doing things right (which considering I am down 100 pounds in about 5 ½ months I must be).

 

One of the first things that I could not wait to do after surgery was go over some of the wonderful changes that I have felt/seen/noticed since losing weight. Here’s what I have experienced so far…

 

·    Finding/feeling/seeing knees, slim feet/ankles, veins in my hand, my neck/collar bones emerging, hips, etc.

·    Most of my clothes are ENTIRELY HUGE! (Money is tight right now so it'll be a while and I'm trying to figure a way to sell/consign some of my nicer items but it's a GREAT problem to have). WOOT!

·    Car seat is up further...and even more room between me and the steering wheel now

·    My face is slimming and becoming more defined (though I curse this damn fat waddle...leave already and let my neck shine through!!!)

·    I'm all wrinkly...and PROUD OF IT! I could take FLIGHT with my bat wings honey! Trust me!

·    I can touch my toes and pick up things easily when bending. Hell I can BEND OVER without toppling over! HA!

·    All of my underwear are too big...and I refuse to buy new ones...I have so many to replace it would take a few paychecks LOL!

·    I had to go down in bra size...mind you my back fat is doing some weird things so the size isn't a dramatic change but hey...it's going in the RIGHT direction

·    On a whim yesterday during my lunch break I went swimming in the pool at my complex (indoor heated). I have NEVER done that...and guess what...my old bathing suit (that I just bought last summer) was too big so I tried on my Mom's (22W) and...IT FIT! Wasn't even "snug" or anything...*in my Austin Power's voice* Yeah Baby Yeah!

 

Other people that know me are beginning to notice and compliment me and for once I don’t MIND being noticed. In fact I've had nothing but positive support from family and friends (which is great because if I didn't with this emotional roller coaster that I’ve been on I'd be going to jail if people were negative nasty Nelly’s about MY surgery and MY choices). 

 

So things are great, I continue to improve, and I’m working on meeting my personal goals for both the surgery and lifestyle changes in general. I’ve been on one vacation since having the sleeve (went to D.C. to visit family back in early August) and I planned accordingly before I left so I had plenty of food/snacks available that fell within my eating plan. I did experience one buffet and I had to sneak out some food in my cousin’s purse—don’t judge me. For that money I paid I had darn well be able to sneak out a chicken wing or two for another meal in my purse! LOLOLOLOLOL!

 

I hope all my sleeve buddies are doing great too! Here’s to finishing the year strong and (if I work SUPER HARD at it), maybe losing close to another 100 pounds!!!

 

THE OLD ME

2004/2005

 

 

JULY 2008

 

MAY 2010

 

NOVEMBER 2010

 

MARCH 2012 - INITIAL CONSULT - 450.5 LBS (HW recorded ever 475)

 

JUNE 2012

 

DAY OF SURGERY

FINAL SW - 387.5 LBS

 

 

SINCE SURGERY

JULY 2012 (1 WK AFTER)       AUGUST 2012 (1 MTH AFTER)

        

 CONGRATULATIONS! You are doing wonderful!  Wow 100lbs! Are you going to support next week? I am going to Thursdays group. I hope you can make it. 
Carole

Hi Carole! Thank you!!!

I wish that I could make it but alas I am back to work and that means 12-830 pm for me *sigh*

Such is life...work = money and money = pay the bills to spend more MONEY! LOL! 

But I am going to try to see if I can schedule out to make the next one because I do want to come if I can! 

Hope you are doing well! 

Whooo Hooo! Way to go girl! You Rock!

From someone who is about to have the surgery, hearing your story is an inspiration!

Thank you! I am telling you people were not kidding when they said it's the BEST. DECISION. EVER! My only regret = NOT DOING IT SOONER! 

What an amazing journey you've had so far! Congratulations on your hard work and success :) You can definitely see a huge difference in your pics, you look great.

 Thank you! I can say I am finally starting to see the differences myself.  

O. M. G. Gurl, I effing LOVE you!!! Your posts always crack me the frig up! Gotta seriously love you for that!! I wish we could hang out. I bet my tummy would be hurting from some serious laughter!!!
What a way to rock it gurl!! You are doing awesome & looking fantastic already. So proud of you!! Xo

Girl where there is a will there is a WAY!!! I swear I'ma find some discount somewhere, somehow with these travel agent benefits and I'm coming out there to meet you and Allison and we are going to PAAAAAARRRRTTTTAAAAYYYYY!!!! 

Thank you so much! I swear that life really does begin at 29 and holding (okay okay so I'm 30 but I just haven't accepted it yet LOL!).

Congratulations!!! What a difference already!! You are doing very well and look very happy.