I'm still alive

The pst couple of weeks has been tough. I ended up back in the ER last wednesday again. I was having shortness of breath and chest pain again. Turns out I have Chostrochondritis (sp?). I guess the place where the ribs and the sternum come together is inflamed and swollen. The doc said I overdid it with the working out. So I got put back on restricted excersise again for the past week. I get to start working out again today as long as I don't do upper body weights for a few more weeks. I haven't lost as much as I thought I would. I am only down 20 pounds from the pre-op and 27 pounds from the day after surgery. I know being a lightweight I am not going to lose as fast as some but I am still bummed out. I haven't been getting in enough water, so I upped it again this weekend and low and behold I dropped 3 pounds over the weekend. ~~~Amy LAP RNY 08-05-03 /- 27 pounds

Amy- Sorry to hear it has been slow going. And that rib thing must be miserable! I'm having a hard time getting enough fluids in too. Plain water just does not sit well in my tummy so I've been drinking lots of broth and crystal lite. As far as the pounds go, I would wager a bet that one of these days they will just start melting off! Your body may be stubbornly hanging on to what it is used to. And 27# is not small potatoes!! It is a start! I am three weeks out and have been weighing 1x week but I am reminded of the futility of "scale hopping" from my old dieting days. It is too frustrating to be jumping on and off. I plan to weigh-in only when I feel like I have lost something. That way I will not be disappointed. Keep hanging in there- things will get better as you heal.

Michelle is right, 27 lbs isn't small potatoes, it is 5 1/2 BAGS of potatoes!!!!! Imagine being able to set them down after carrying them for years......does that help your perspective at all??? Make sure you follow Dr.s orders on the swelling and as they all say, drink, drink, drink, and walk, walk ,walk.... You are still wwwwaaaaayyyy ahead of me, I haven't lost any yet! (((HUGS))) Elizabeth