NORTH WEST WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY SUPPORT GROUP
Recent Posts
We all know we are suppose to make sure we get enough Protein. What is the Truth about Protein?
Lets all respond with what we have been told by our Doctors and let's have Chistinehelp us understand the truth about protein.
I was told 70-80 Grams a day but nothing about what Malabsorbation does to that number and how to get there.
What where you all told?
I plan on participating is today's call but might be late joining as I have to go to Sears Automotive to (finally) get the snow tires taken off the car and then, since we'll be down to one vehicle, take Joel to the gym for his required meeting with a personal trainer (part of the contract - he just joined Bally's a week ago). I’ll be on my cell, sitting in the gym parking lot...but I'll be there!
~Namaste~
Amy 
First two are a comparison of photoes taken a month and a half before my intial consult with Dr. Srikanth on 10/19/2008 (5 weeks later, 11/19/2008, i had WLS at St. Francis) during trip to Potalnd with my motherto celebrate her 60th birthday on 09/01/2008. To date I have lost 115 pounds with VSG in conjunction with lots of blood , sweat and tears. I was worth the funds I paid out of pocket to have WLS, so I'm certainly worth the diet and exercise needed to first lose the weight and then maintain it.
The 2nd is s coupel of h
The second is just a collage of some of the shots my friend took yesterday.
It's odd that until i see photos side by side I can't "see a diference, even at a loss of 115 pounds to date. It's interesting that I my heaviest I didn't see exactky how fat I was, and now, even though I have in lost in excess of 100 pounds and still have 100 pounds left to lose, I m hyper critical of my appearance because in my mind's eye, I do see myself as I was at my heaviest (404 pounds).
Theast collage is just a few of the photos taken by my friend yesterday to photos of me taken 09/01/2008. I call this "The importance of proper fit". The reality is that bigger/baggier vloathes actualy maked you appeear both sloppy and bigger!
Pat ofme is tooting my own horn with thise post. A larger part, is hower, hoping thatsomeone sees it and helps them on their won jounrey.
~Namaste~
Amy
Finally got into my computer after a very long time of working extra shifts. I am so glad you're okay. What an ordeal. I hope in the future you will call 911 when you have scary health experiences while at home alone. Am glad to hear your tune up has made things even better in your life. Don't know about 150 yrs but I do pray that you live many quality years as you seemed determined to do. It's obvious the Lord has plans for you to carry more than one healing message to those blessed to hear you. In the meantime, please do listen to your body and allow it to rest and heal!
God Bless.
Wendy
We had a blast at tonight's Auburn (WA) Support Group that I faciliatated. To all that attended (around 15 I think, including Merrilou and me), "Baaaaa"!
So many commented on my appearance (that I hadn't noticed as being any different than a month ago) that I came home to create a side by side comparison! I'll admit that I can see a difference; perhaps it's my new sexy body (Ha) (in all likelihood it was that I was actually wearing a bra tonight (double Ha) that made Merrilou comment about how umm, err, "provocative" my self-titled hula-hoop routine on the exercise ball looked from her vantage point! Here's the new collage:
Amy
CHRISTINE & COMPANY:
IT SHORTLY AFTER 10:00 AM PST TODAY I REALIZED 1) I WAS UP, 2) I COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE SAT TELEPHONIC SUPPORT GROUP, AND THEN 3) I'D NOT HEARD ROM CHRISTINE OR ABOUT A WEEK AND DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE EVEN WAS A PHONE GROUP TODAY AND I SO, HOW TO ACCESS IT!
I HOPE THAT Y'ALL ARE WELL AND CONTINUING TO SIMPLY PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER ON YOUR WLS JOURNEY AND ALLOW YOUR FOCUS TO REMAIN ON SUCCESSFULLY MOVING FORWARD TOWARDS A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, AND LONGER LIFE.
I HAD MY 3 MONTH (ACTUALLY 107 DAYS SO MORE LIKE 3.5 MONTH) F/UP WITH DR. SRIKANTH YESTERDAY AND HE IS VERY PLEASED WITH MY PROGRESS OVERALL. FRANKLY, I BELIEVE, HE’S A LITTLE SURPRISED BY MY SUCCESS WITH THE VSG, A RESTRICTIVE PROCEDURE, GIVEN MY OCT '08 STARTING BMI OF 65.2. I ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY HOW HE THOUGHT I WAS DOING IN COMPARISON TO HIS OTHER VSG PATIENTS BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS ABLE TO "KEEP UP WITH THE PACK "(I KNOW, I KNOW, I SHOULD NOT COMPARE MYSELF TO OTHERS, BUT IT'S HUMAN NATURE AND I'M HUMAN) GIVEN MY ISSUES WITH CHRONIC PAIN DUE TO OSTEOARTHRITIS, SCOLIOSIS, BILATERAL CHONDROMALACIA PATELLA, MIGRAINES, AND FIBROMYALGIA/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME, ET AL WHICH HAS GREATLY IMPACTED THE EXERCISE PORTION OF WHAT I KNOW TO BE AS IMPORTANT AS NUTRITION IN FIRST GETTING RID OF MY EXCESS WEIGHT AND THEN ENJOYING LIFETIME MAINTENANCE AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT. "NO WORRIES, AMY (THOSE OF YOU WHO SEE DR. SRIKANTH KNOW THAT THE PHRASE 'NO WORRIES' IS HIS SIGNATURE LINE IN THE SAME WAY HIS MOUTH BUGLE HORN SOUND AND LAUGHTER ARE IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZABLE) YOUR PROGRESS IS EXCELLENT!"
THAT SAID, I HAD BEEN ANXIOUS ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I WOULD BE RECEIVING THE RESULTS OF MY THREE MONTH LABS. AGAIN, DUE TO THE MEDICAL ISSUES MENTIONED ABOVE, I STRUGGLE WITH COMPLIANCE TO HIS STRICT DIETARY AND SUPPLEMENT REGIME WHEN I'M EXPERIENCING AN "EPISODE" (CHARACTERIZED BY COMPLETE PHYSICAL MISERY AND DECLINE IN MENTAL HEALTH, INCLUDING INCREASED PAIN AND CORRESPONDING INABILITY TO DO MUCH MORE THAN MOVE SLOWLY FROM BED TO COUCH; BASICALLY ALMOST TOTAL DISABILITY FOR THE DURATION OF THE ATTACK/EPISODE/WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. THANKFULLY, THIS ISSUE AFFECTS ME ONLY 25% OF THE TIME AT THIS POINT (AN IMPROVEMENT FROM VIRTUALLY 100% MISERY PRIOR TO OCTOBER 2008). I WAS FULLY EXPECTING A STERN LECTURE AND ASKED HIM TO GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT, IT'S WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR. SURPRISINGLY, THE LABS SHOWED MY PROTEIN IS GOOD AND IRON IS EXCELLENT. MY VITAMIN A & D LEVELS ARE LOW, BUT NO WORSE THAN PRE-OP. HOWEVER, MY B-12 AND FOLATE LEVELS ARE VERY LOW AND I NOW HAVE THE JOYOUS RESPONSIBILITY OF B-12 SELF INJECTIONS EVERY OTHER DAY AND FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION AT 4 TIMES THE DAILY RECOMMENDATION. AS I WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE 24 HOUR URINE CATCH THE WEEK PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT DUE TO MY MENSTRUATION, WE WON’T KNOW ABOUT MY CALCIUM LEVELS UNTIL THE END OF THIS WEEK (I'M DOING THE FUN CATCH PROCESS TOMORROW). DR. SRIKANTH UNDERSTOOD MY DIFFICULTY GIVEN MY SIGNIFICANT “DISABILITY" BUT TOLD ME I HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO JUST DO IT. I TOLD HIM I WAS TRYING; I’VE TRIED CHARTING, SCHEDULING, SETTING ALARMS AND NONE OF THAT HAS WORKED. HE SAID KEEP TRYING, NO EXCUSES! I THANKED HIM FOR THAT! IF ANY OF YOU HAVE AN UNUSUAL TIP OR TRICK , I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!
I GO BACK TO SEE DR. SRIKANTH IN 6 WEEKS, ON 04/19/2009, WHICH COINCIDENTALLY IS MY 5 MONTH SURGIVERSARY. HE WON'T ORDER ANOTHER ROUND OF LABS UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MONTH AND YOU CAN BET YOUR LAST PRETTY PENNY THAT I GOT REAL SERIOUS REAL QUICK ABOUT DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH HIS PROTEIN/SUPPLEMENT REGIME IN ORDER TO BOTH DO WHAT’S NECESSARY FOR MY OWN HEALTH BUT ALSO TO PLEASE HIM. THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE, THE SMALLER CLOTHES, ALL OF THE NSV'S ARE TERRIFIC, BUT I CHOSE WLS TO ATTAIN HEALTH...AND YESTERDAY'S APPOINTMENT WAS A FANTASTIC REMINDER THAT I CAN'T BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT ENDEAVOR REGARDLESS OF POUNDS LOST WITHOUT BEING VIGILANT AND COMMITTED TO THE ENTIRE PROGRAM!
I HOPE THAT EVERYONE IS DOING WELL AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM Y'ALL SOON!
AMY
Get well soon and REST!
Blessings always...............................Renee
Is a Gift....And I am Forever Grateful........
I must comment that I find your attitude completely amazing and inspiring; it's confirmation of what I'm just learning which is that my attitude determines my reality. Your ability to traverse the eneven terrain of kife with such grace and guenuine joy is awesome!
I may be travelling to Aberdeen this weekend, and I hate talking on the phone while driving, so I may be absent from Sat's conference call. I'll try, though...
Amy
