9 Months Out

I saw Dr. Houston yesterday for my nine month follow-up.  He's happy with my progress and so am I.  I've lost 60% of my excess weight.  He has no plans to move to Atlanta.  That's a joke, people.  I know those wild women who have come from GA to get the DS are hoping to steal him away, but it ain't gonna happen.  They'll just have to keep coming back to TN to see him.  Maybe John will be so nice they'll forget all about Dr. Houston...

DH and I had lunch at Stony River.  Nice place even if it is more $$ than we usually spend.  I had such a rocky start that I didn't really feel good until about 6 months out so we hadn't spent much on going out anyway.  Then I spent a bit on shoes, purses and jewelry.  That way I can wear the same five dresses yet with different looks by changing out the accessories.  I'll eventually have to get more dresses, but I'll look for ones for which I already have shoe, purses, and jewelry. 

I also checked out the Corner Pharmacy at Baptist for Bariatric Advantage.  I need three items, and they only had one that I needed.  They have a variety of the different multi's, all the calcium flavors (both chewy bites and lozenges), and iron.  It might be OK if you already live in Nashville, but not worth a separate trip.  Unless of course I want more shoes, purses, and jewelry from stores that we don't have in Cookeville like Target, SteinMart, etc.

Have a safe and happy Fourth.

Dr. Houston better not be going anywhere.  Congratulations on your weight
loss success.  You are my hero!!!

Aw, make me blush...  You're doing OK yourself hot stuff. 

Hope your return to the real world goes smoothely.  I'll bet that cutie patootie son of yours is going miss having Mom around so much.

Sounds like you are doing GREAT!!!!

I love the idea of changing the look of the outfits by the accessories you choose... 

Well, can't spend too much on clothes that won't fit in a few weeks so show me the bling!  Some of Cookeville's antingue stores have some real fun vintage pieces that aren't too expensive.

WOW... congrats on 9 months... that is so good and 60% of your excess body weight is awesome.  You should be proud of those numbers.  

I am glad you decided on the DS and that Dr. Houston was your surgeon, if you had not been one of his first DS' then I may not have had the DS so i personally would like to thank you for going first and helping me down my path.  

Well, John, I really can't imagine having any other surgery.  Not saying that the DS is THE best of all surgeries, but it was for me.  And I can't imagine going anywhere else but Centennial based on how they treated me 4 years ago when I was denied WLS.  They also were very good to my husband for his prostate/hernia surgery.  As I've mentioned before, I work with 3 women who had the RNY with Dr. Houston, they just love him.

Hey, somebody had to be first. I really don't think of it as groundbreaking.  It was just a matter of time before he started doing the DS.  I just asked for the DS and he was eager to get going.  I never doubted his ability for a minute despite what some on the DS forum have said about his "inexperience".  Of course I didn't read anything on the DS forum until after I already had my surgery, yet I don't think it would have changed my mind.  I felt completely at peace with him.  As our friend Ronda has said, it isn't like a foot doctor doing brain surgery.  He knows his way around the GI system and does it with a laparoscope.   I was teasing him about kickbacks for you, Ronda, and me for all the business he's now getting.  He laughed.  On the serious side, though, it is so nice to have someone that good so close.  That is a reward in and of itself.

Again, I want to say how great it is that you've done so much for the out-of-towners.  Nothing like good ol' Southern Hospitality TN style.

I would like to echo those comments! A big 'ol thank you to each of you for "paying it forward" to the newbies out there! You guys are such great resources.

Thank you and...

Happy 4th of July!

 You were in town and you didn't tell us?!?    How you live in a city without a Target is beyond me!  I would have thought there was a Target in Cookeville!  I've picked up some great "transition," skirts there for $10-12 each.  Happy, joy!

60% of your excess weight lost is amazing!  Sounds like you're rockin' that DS in spite of the rough start.

I like the 5 dresses idea--I went and did a bit of shopping today myself.  In the transition time, I'm just buying enough stuff to get me through a work week and will wear 'em out till they're too baggy.  More on that in my own thread.

I don't know if it's just me or what, but actually have more of an inclination to wear earrings and necklaces these days.  60 pounds ago, I was like, ehhhh.  Thinking about jewelry takes too much effort.  I've already dragged myself out of bed and showered.  What more do these people want from me?!?

What were the other items that you weren't able to get at the Corner Pharmacy?  I know you can order that stuff online, but they have a wall of Bariatric Advantage stuff for sale at the Vandy pharmacy at 100 Oaks.  I'm going on Monday, so I could let you know.  If you're in town anyway for a follow up, it's not that far out of your way to save a little money on shipping.

Congrats again on doing so well!!!

You'd think that Cookeville would have a Target with the college and all, but no.  We gotta go to Mt. Juliet for the closest one.

Yep, dresses.  They look like real big T-shirts but slightly more fitted than a T.  I'm really enjoying the summer thing with them.  Put on a pair of sandals and I'm good to go.  They're thick enough that no slip is required to stop the see through.  They hide the weight loss a little better than any kind of pants so I'll get more use from them.  Plus I'd have to sport the Ellie Mae Clampett rope belt on pants.  No, thanks. 

OK, so even with a 60% loss, I'm still huge.  Yet going from a size 32/34 to a 22/24 is such an amazing change, I'm actually starting to feel l "cute".  Or at least more feminine than just a blob covered in yards of fabric...   With the dresses being so plain, i.e. little shape and solid colors, it has been fun to wear some funky costume stuff.  I've got some really fun stuff from my mom circa the 50's through the 70's.  Plus the jewlery gives new life to my old back of the closet goodies that I've pulled out for one last go 'round before they hit the Goodwill.

Baptist had my Multi in the smaller bottles.  I take 3 of those a day and like the bigger one.  I also wanted the dry Vitamin D capsules.  I just went ahead and ordered them from Bariatric Advantage.  I had thought about going over to 100 Oaks, but had a non-shopping hubby along.  Dogs and husbands do not do well in hot cars yet they pout so much when I try to leave them at home.  What's a girl to do?