It's MONDAY!

Wish I had time to say more but HAVE A GREAT MONDAY all you lovely ladies :)

BYOC

BYOC – Bring Your Own Crazy – 5 little questions you can copy and paste to your own blog in an effort to get to know your fellow bloggers better and to give your blogging brain a break.

Enjoy!

1. What is your blog theme and how did you pick your blog name?
My theme is my Lap Band/Weight Loss Journey.  I picked inside v. outside because I am a completely different looking person in mind – then I got to the mirror and don’t see how I feel at all. I love funky florals and Jen at Just Foolin Blog Designs designed this awesome blog that I have now.

2. Repeat question: I’m going to name a person not knowing anything about this person in your life or even if they exist and you need to try to describe them in five words/phrases.

Female neighbor two homes/doors down to the left

That 

Is

A

Vacant 

House

3. Which do you hate more? Spiders or snakes. Elliptical or treadmill. Hannah Montana or Lindsay Lohan.

SPIDERS are TERRIFYING!!!!!!

Elliptical – I like a high incline on the treadmill…...

I would say Lindsey but with a 9 year old girl I am subjected to Hannah far more.


4. Completely selfish question…I need a dress for Chicago…keep in mind I live in Podunk so the options of physically going into a vast array of stores is VERY limited. (thank God for the internet) When you need something fancy/a dress – what is your go to store and why?

I usually do Macy’s or Nordstrom.  They have a good selection of nice dresses and have a lot of the same in both plus and reg size so if I really like something they sometime have it in the overly chunky section :)

5. Repeat question: How was your week in blog land and in real life?
Blog land is great as always!  Thanks to all the new followers and to all of you that comment and provide support/advice etc.  I am working on becoming more interesting.

Real life is real life lol……  Work is work – I have been here for 12 years and I hate it J  I started a Masters program online yesterday so that is pretty exciting.  It is for health care administration.  I would love more than anything to be a hospice nurse but that has to be put on the back burner for now…. I am just not at a place when I can quit work to go to school.  SO I am excited to move myself out of the rut I have been in.

I am obsessing over this liver issue.  I just don’t get it…..  I had to have a follow-up call with the Dr. because she is failing to recognize that everything was ok in my blood work prior to surgery.  So she got the labs from the surgeon and now she sees my point.  Her response “this is odd”…   I am not a drinker or a drug user (after being asked that 3 times by the Dr./Surgeons office).   I think most of all it is really frustrating because I was fine going into surgery, I didn’t have surgery b/c I had issues, I did it to prevent issues!!!  So it is just really irritating to FINALLY see the scale moving in the right direction and now there is a health issue.  That’s life I suppose!!  So sorry for another rant!  

Liver Function......?

Anyone have issues with live function post-surgery?

I had a Dr. appt this morning to discuss blood work and apparently my liver enzymes are pretty high..... I had an ultrasound last year for another matter and they said my liver was enlarged but it was okay because the enzymes were normal...... but loose weight, etc.  At surgery, the doc said my liver looked fine so they didn't do a biopsy.  But now 29lbs down my liver is being screwy... WTHeck??  Anyway, have to go back in two weeks for more blood work to see if they went down so we'll see.  Just wondering if anyone else had a similar issue post surgery??

Have a great Friday Eve my friends!

P.S. Promise to make a more interesting/less whinny post soon :)

Weigh-In

237.8 :)

Weigh-in and horrible doctors appt and potential TMI.........

So still hanging around at 241.2 so sadly no loss to report.......I think this might be due to TOM.

On to the TMI - but since Drazil brings up things like women's annuals etc on BYOC - I will put this out there :) So I had my yearly yesterday....  Which I scheduled forever ago and of course, I start spotting the morning of...  BTW I take BC pills straight through to prevent periods/bleeding.  So this is not supposed to happen and bad timing. Well the Dr. has a student MA working with her so the dr says it is still ok to do the PAP - we all know how that goes so the dr does her thing leaves the room and the student MA is just standing there with my swabs/cultures and goes "well nobody ever showed me how to prep these so I guess I will try my best" WTH?!?! this was prefaced by me getting a tetanus shot and her saying "If it looks like I don't know what I am doing, it is because I don't" I shoulda ran at that point ...... Soooooo, I am thinking abnormal pap for sure and a redo! AHHHHHHHHHH!

I loved my PCP until yesterday but man I am considering changing offices... I felt bad but I called and complained. 

Side note, I have to schedule another visit with her to discuss my surgery because apparently other issues cannot be discussed during a well women exam per the insurance. Another AHHHHHHHH! 

Happy Thursday all :)

Question - Am I paranoid??

My port area had been pretty sore the past two days..... I had my fill on the 4th so I don't think it is because of that...  The pain is getting worse and spreading to the left side of my belly up to the rib cage.... Is this a reason for concern?  Of course I googled port infection and saw some horror stories.....  Dr. on call worthy?  My dr's office closes at noon on Friday.

BYOC!

BYOC – Bring Your Own Crazy – 5 questions you can copy and paste to your own blog if you so desire – in an effort to get to know your fellow bloggers better and to give your blog brain a break!

Enjoy!

1. I have to do some MAJOR cleaning tonight…which is prompting me to ask…what is the absolute worst thing you hate to clean or cleaning chore you hate the most? (vacuuming, dusting, laundry, toilets, floors, etc.)

I really hate dishes…..  But while we are on the topic of cleaning, my hubs and I have an agreement that he does the outside and I do the inside BUT we pay a landscaper and a pool guy….. seem fair – think not!!

2. Brown or Black? Fly or Drive? Hot dog or Burger? Gold or Silver?

Black – don’t really wear brown ever

Drive – I am scared of flying but will if I have to….

Burgers for sure!

Silver but gold tones are beginning to grow on me

3. Repeat question: I’m going to pick a person not knowing your relationship with them or even if a relationships exists – and you then try to describe that person in 5 short sentences/words.

Maternal Grandmother

Alzheimer’s/Deceased/lived in Wisconsin/permed hair/visited when I was little

4. Even if you don’t have kids, how do you feel about kids in multiple sports during their school years?  Were you in MULTIPLE sports all during school?  Forced or by choice?

I think it is a good thing.  I agree with Draz on a LOT of points.  I had horrible parents (hard to say that but true).  I never really got to do anything that I wanted to so if Mya expresses an interest in something I usually let her do it.  Right now she does soccer and ballet.  She loves them both and doesn’t want to stop either of them.  I am dreading the day when they conflict but then we will probably fill in with something that doesn’t conflict.  Her grades haven’t ever suffered so I haven’t had to address that issue. 

I also think being physically active is so important - I do not want her to have to deal with being overweight!!! 

5. Repeat question: Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.

Blogland: Drazil cracks me up!!!!! I love all of you and your comments AND I have new followers! YAY!!! Thank you! Oh, and I have spent way too much time reading blogs at work  :)

Real life:  Busy busy work has been out of control. Mya started school so trying to get back to a routine after summer (that is always fun!).

Weigh-in, etc., etc., etc........

Weigh-In:

I weighed in at 241.2 this morning and silently thanked GOD that the number is still going down.  I am not eating badly but exercise has been minimal.  

First Fill:

So I had my first fill on the 4^th and have not had time to write about it.  The Dr. and I went back and forth about whether I actually needed a fill…. I don’t think I needed one but it is so hard to be sure.  I feel like I am both in the yellow and green zone.  I have been consistently losing since surgery.  I do think about food constantly and then convince myself that I am hungry - so I am wondering if it is head hunger?  Anyway, she decided to give me .5cc to “get the process started”.  I really didn’t notice a difference at all.  

Confusion with the Rules:  

I met with the nutritionist before my fill and I am apparently allowed to have a healthy snack (almonds, yogurt, string cheese, etc. ) if I get too hungry.   I thought snacking violated one of the cardinal rules of being banded.  It is so hard sometimes to have so much information coming from everywhere – some people eat a cup some eat a 1/2 some can have carbs, some can’t and so on……  I like to have a list and do things to the letter…. But that won’t happen because we are all different. 

Anyway, what I am finally starting to figure out is that I have to go with what MY body wants (kind of a duh realization but….).  For example, I was having a really hard time with not eating and drinking at the same time (partly b/c I am in AZ and it is hotter than hell here).   So the dilemma was coffee/water or breakfast …. I wake up hungry, thirsty and tired lol.  So the solution for me seems to be – bottle of water on the way to work, coffee at work and only breakfast if I feel I need it.  Maybe that is not the best idea but it did relieve some of my stress of getting the three things in at the same time…. And I seem to be fine.  The coffee holds me until lunch.   I don’t know why I am so overwhelmed by learning how to eat again.  It has been over a month.  I may or may not admit crying in front of the nutritionist about feeling like I was doing everything wrong.

Running:

I want to start – anyone have suggestions  :)

NSVs: 

Wearing a pair of pants today that have been folded in the closet for quiet sometime and they fit comfortably with some room!  

I realized at lunch today that my world is revolving slightly less around food and it is less of an indulgence as it is a necessity.  This is a HUGE thing for me because the other me looked forward more than anything to what I could shove in my mouth next….  Food was my drug of choice!!  It was/is definitely an addiction – there are still days where I feel truly resentful about the fact that I can’t eat as much as I want but those days are getting fewer and farther between.  Thank goodness!

Back to School....... I suck at the catchy post titles :)

Well I sent a 4th grader to school today. Bittersweet as always!  This is the first year she wanted to independently walk herself in because "she is not a baby anymore".  Fortunately, I had classroom donations so I has an excuse to walk her in :)  Why do they grow up so fast!

BYOC!!

We answer a few questions in an effort to get to know each other better and

to give our blogging brains a break.  Thanks Draz!

Copy to your own blog and enjoy!

1.      I’m going to pick a person in your life – not knowing if you have a good or bad, existing or non-existent relationship with them – and your mission is to pick 5 words or traits or thoughts to describe them.
Your paternal grandmother.
Dead

Granny Glasses
Diabetic
Lived in NM
Slightly Grouchy 

2. What’s your all time favorite color to paint your nails? And your toes?

Nails –Red

Toes – Red

3. Do you get along with your parents well?

Not really.  My father passed away when I was 18 and my mom and I don’t have the best relationship but that’s a whole nother counseling session lol ;)

4. Speaking of rainbows – rank the rainbow colors in the order you prefer.
Purple

Green

Orange

Yellow

Blue

Red

5. Repeat question. How was your week in real life and in blog land this week?

BlogLand is awesome!  Constant source of support and inspiration!

RealLife is the hamster wheel that just keeps on a spinning J

Funny

So my daughter likes to monitor/keep track of my weigh-ins.  Pretty cute!  So this morning, she was like "yay mommy you lost two pounds!!!! only 93 more to go". I'm thinking thanks Mya way to rub it in but she said it so innocently and encouragingly - it was kind of adorable!! LOL kinda had to be there but gotta love the honesty of kids ;)

Weigh-in and THANK YOU!

Thank you guys for all the comments and support <3

Weighed in this morning at 243.2 so down 2lbs.  I have really been pushing the water so I think that is helping!!

Have a great day all :)

Numerous things to discuss......

1. A BIG thank you to Jen at Just Foolin Blog Designs for giving me this super cute new blog! I love it and it makes me happy every time I look at it. 

2. I am supposed to have a fill tomorrow and I am scared.  I am completely TERRIFIED of having the band be to tight.  I am satisfied with a 1/2-3/4 cups of food; however, it only lasts about two hours.  If I eat any more than that, I do have pain.  Also no matter what I eat or drink I get pain in my left shoulder (similar to the gas pain after surgery).

3. I read Lap Band Gal's post this a.m. as well as Cat's comments on her blog about being embarrassed or ashamed about weight loss surgery. At first I went from telling (well asking opinions from) everybody.  I thought I needed everyone's opinion of what to do.  You have those who say you don't need it (whatever - liars), those who say whatever you want to do, etc.  I never thought there was a stigma associated it until I mentioned it to this one girl at work.  Funny thing was - she makes comments about my weight all the time so I really thought she would be supportive but her response was "I think you are taking the lazy way out". I couldn't believe it. Now, this girl is generally very crass and kinda trashy so usually take what she said with a grain of salt, but this stung a bit.  I mean for gosh sake I have been on some sort of diet every day of my life, worked out lost 70lbs, gained it back etc.  So after that I decided I was going to tell nobody else because I didn't want people to think that I am as she said taking the lazy way out.  I never told her that I actually went through with the surgery - only that I was thinking about it.  Little does anyone know this is sooooooo far away from the easy way out!  It is hard, the surgery is painful, you have to be just as committed as before to diet and exercise and so on. Since the surgery, I have decided that I do not give a rats bum who knows or what they think (trying not to anyway).  I made this decision for me and my family, I know I am not lazy. 

On a side note, I didn't tell my mom until the night before, we don't have the best relationship at all but she was watching my daughter while I was at the surgery center. She is not supportive at all she is basically silent (her way of passive/aggressively showing disapproval) about the whole thing.  What REALLY upset me is that my daughter was crying the day of the surgery - which I think it was normal for her to be nervous - but my mom calls me later and says "I just hope you know that you make a very emotionally traumatizing decision for your daughter" WHAT! I'm thinking I just did this for my daughter!  Come to find out, I am in the car with my daughter and she tells me "mom Grandma showed me all about your surgery online.... but your cuts don't look like that persons".  Well come to find out my mom let her read all about gastric bypass hence her fear and tears.  So frustrating.  SO SORRY FOR THE RANT!

Point being - I am NOT embarrassed or ashamed! :)