Hello everyone!

I had a laproscopic RNY on September 21st, 2009. I am doing pretty well with it and am healing great. I'm really careful with what I eat and I am sure to measure everything out. I do realize the surgery is a tool to help us lose weight, I recognized that before I had surgery. I just had a hard time losing on my own which was why I had the surgery. I have started some light exercising and I also use a website titled sparkpeople.com to track what I eat to make sure I am getting enough protein in. Some days are better than others; this week I don't seem to want to eat at all, but I do, obviously. I'm just not hungry and my stomach doesn't seem to want food. LOL I have my 6 week post-op appointment next week so I will ask my surgeon about it if it continues.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and am looking forward to meeting others going through the same thing I am.

 I weigh in today at 215.4 lbs today. So I am officially a 102.1 lbs down since Jan 2009. I lost 50 lbs from Jan 2009 to July 28, 2009. The day of my surgery I weigh in at 267.5 lbs. Today I weigh in at 215.4 lbs. So total loss of 52.1 lbs since my surgery which today is my 3 month surgery anniversary.
I needed the extra tool to get my life back on track. I do have to work at it every day. I no longer take any meds for diabetes, cholesterol, or high blood pressure. I just recently had blood work and without meds my A1C is 5.5 no longer diabetic, my blood pressure without meds is 120/80. And my cholesterol is 130. I believe the only thing was low was the good cholesterol which tells them how much you are exercising. I do ride my recumbent bike 1 to 2 hours a day 6 days a week. But I notice I never sweat! I do 10 to 15 miles a day between 10 and 14 miles an hour. So this week I am challenging myself by doing the programs on my recumbent bike where it takes you up and down hills. I do sweat a little bit. I just don't think it is enough to get what my body needs to lose the weight I need to lose yet.
I have develop batwings on my arms. I am able to control my diet and eating. But I need more motivation and find things that will work for me. I still not able to get off the floor to do exercises for my stomach. I did start doing some 3 lbs weights to help tone up my arms. And I also do some twist and side bends with the weights. I can only bend so far due to my arthritis in my knees before you hear all the crackling from the knees. I am afraid to do other exercise because I don’t want to hurt my knees or my feet. I am waiting for new balance shoes and orthotics to come in as well. I also went down a half size and 2 widths in shoes as well. I struggle a lot with my plantar facittis and had 3 cortisone shots as well. I also had snyvisc injections in the knees and 1 knee surgery to fix a tear. I am do again in Jan for the synvisc injections 1 in both knees for 3 weeks
I will hopefully reach 200 lbs by thanksgiving or maybe a pound under. Even if it is 199.9 I would be so happy. I don't recall the last time I weigh under 200 lbs. Oh yes I do the picture that I took with hubby a year before were married. It was in fall of 1985. I believed I weigh like 170. My goal weight is between 130 to 140. My ideal weight is 125 which probably will not happen as I will have all this extra sagging skin. I have not decided to have the plastic surgery. I know most insurance do not pay for it. And we don't have that kind of money living on husband social security. I am almost to the weight of my husband who weighs 214. I know I will bypass his weight very soon. It will be great not having to buy in the plus size. The new red top and red shorts are actually brand new and never been worn before. I went from wearing a 4x-5x tops to the one I am wearing now a 2 x. Which when I try it on when I got it from the weight loss surgery support group clothes drive it was calling my name. I figure oh this will fit me by Christmas. Well today I put it on and it was the one for my pictures. All my clothes are so big on me now but I still wear them because I don't want to keep going out to buy new clothes. The shorts I got off a clearance rack at Kmart in size 20. I usually wear a 22/24 in shorts or pants. I have always been one for the stretchy waist band. I don't recall the last time I put on pair of jeans. Well probably high school. I will be soon out of the plus size clothes. I will donate them to other weight loss surgery patients at the support group I go to. So they don't have to go out to buy them. I just gave away a very huge box full to my sister in law. They were way to big for me. I took my pre surgery measurements for the first time as I never took my measurements before that.             
        pre surgery    
          7/25/09          3 month post op  
                                10/28/09

chest       52.5                        47
arms       17                            13
waist       51                            44
Hips        53                            47

thighs     25.5                          21
calves      20                           17.5
wrist         8                             6.5
forearm     11                            10

Well Tasha, I had my lap-band done by Dr. Chua yesterday, and I can tell you you'll be in excellent hands.  My incisions are small and the surgery went great.  The staff at Aurora Sinai were wonderful.  I know your experience will likely be different from mine because you're doing the DS, but I had my surgery in the morning and was up walking that evening.  Sure, I was sore, but the staff made sure I had appropriate pain medication, and moving around helped get the gas moving on down and getting out.  I went home today and I'm tired and still sore, but not as sore as yesterday, so even 1 day later I'm feeling a little better.

Some of my family was totally for me having the surgery, and a couple were not.  You have to do what you need for your health and not worry about what they think.  They don't have to deal with the health issues you have to deal with due to weight.  The family members who don't understand think I should just have  more will-power.  Well, I had enough will-power to take Tae Kwon Do for 5 years, 3 nights a week, and worked my tail off and got my first degree black belt.  I tried to eat healthy and reduce my calorie intake.   I lost a lot of inches but only 10 pounds.  I had plenty of willpower, but the genes were working against me.  Some of my other family members have had severe obesity problems and weight loss surgery was the only thing that worked for them.  They are also accomplished people who didn't have a willpower problem, they have a medical obesity problem.  We just don't completely understand all the causes of obesity yet, though great strides in research are getting made every day, and we do know it's a medical problem and not 'a willpower problem'.  Some of us require more significant treatment for our weight problems, too, like surgery.

You're taking the steps you need, based on your research and professional medical advice and any health problems you might have, to make your health better.  I know how hard a decision it is to look at the surgery option.  It took me years to finally make the decision to get the surgery, and it took me months to research the different procedures that would work best for my situation, and find a doctor and program I was confident in.  I did it because I had developed bad arthritis in my knee and mild high blood pressure, and I knew if my weight didn't go down substantially, I'd develop diabetes and heart disease.  If I didn't do weight-loss surgery, I was going to end up with, say, open heart surgery or knee replacement surgery at a young age.  My thought was, if I have to have surgery anyway, why not have one that is less invasive and improves my health, and lowers the risk of disability or worse?  I'm thinking you've come to a similar conclusion.  You're not alone with all of us here backing you up.  Yes, I was nervous and excited before the surgery, and every emotion in between that.  I had trouble sleeping this last week, and I spent a number of hours chatting, praying, and playing my online game to keep my mind off the worries.  What you're feeling is totally normal!  If you're feeling especially bad, talk to your doctor to make sure depression isn't an issue, especially after breaking up with your fiance. It's totally normal to be bummed out after that, too.

There's nothing wrong with asking for help from another DS friend.  That's not whining, that's understanding your needs and asking for appropriate help, and I think it's quite smart of you.  We might not be able to go with you to the hospital that day, but I'll be praying for you that day, so know you have some spiritual support here. :)  I know there are lots of people here on the forums who've been through the DS as well who might be able to share their experiences.  Be proud and confident of the decision you're making to improve your health and your life.  I know what you've had to do in Sinai's program just to get a surgery date--learning how to change eating habits and exercise, filling out all those food logs, seeing the psychologist to make sure you're emotionally ready, for instance, so you've made great changes already. 

I hope this sounds semi-coherant since I'm taking the pain medication regularly right now, and I'm a little fuzzy-headed as a result. 

I will be your angel! I'm not really sure what they do, but I will give it my best shot! I'm a WAHM with two small children, so i won't be able to travel much. I don't check this board very often, so I didn't see your request for an angel. I mostly hang out on the DS forum.

I'm sorry you are having a hard time lately and you do not sound like a whining baby! This should be an exciting time for you, starting your weight loss journey. The DS is an amazing surgery, not many people are familiar with it around WI. Good for you for doing your research!

Take care!

Jules

My surgery is scheduled for Nov 4, 2009 at 7:15am. I posted about a week ago looking for an angel for support but have gotten no takers. I am really nervous and excited about having DS surgery I have not been able to sleep.  My family does not understand why I would do this to myself so I don't talk to them about WLS. I am still trying to find a family member to go with me to the hospital the day of my surgery.  I broke up with my fiance last week and feeling lonely about taking this journey alone. I don't want to sound like a whining baby just looking for a DS friend to help me on my journey.