Just over six weeks - and a New Year

Well I have had an interesting Christmas period. I managed okay with food over that time, although I am getting a bit sick of how slow it is to eat.

Went to Dad over Christmas, actually went there on the Sunday before christmas and met Val's kids, which was cool. Had dinner at Val's, just some cold ham and potato etc. Went to Taihape on Christmas Eve and met up with Simon's parent's for lunch. It was lovely to see them feeling alot better.

Christmas Day, my brother, sis in law and kids came to Dad's for lunch. I spent most of my time setting the table and preparing things. It seem to take my mind off food.
After lunch which for me was pumpkin, kumara, potato and ham I was feeling pretty good. Even had a couple of chippies during the day and felt fine.

Got home to find that my very elderly cat had another turn, and it looked like her back legs had got very weak. We had someone feeding her over those days and he said that she had not eaten much but seemed in good spirits. Was very hard to see and on Boxing day she seemed worse so we decided that it was best for her if she got put to sleep. Took her to the emergency vet that day and had a good cry.

Me being such a cat person - I could not bear to have the house empty of little meows, so we decided to get a kitten, and ended up getting two!!! So now we welcome Riddick and Leeloo into the household. It has been so much fun watching them hoon all over the house, but I also forgot just how sharp a kittens claws are as they run up your back!!!!!

Weightwise things have been going well and as of 31st December which was exactly 6 weeks since the operation I have lost a total (included the preop diet) of 30.5 kgs, so obviously stoked with that, and I guess I am starting to notice in clothing that things are heading in the right direction. Will try and take some pics soon.

OH, the other big thing in our lives right now, is that we want to move back to the Manawatu, so I desparately looking for work that will pay a reasonable amount. I applied for one just before Christmas but I am apparently "over-qualified"!!!! So if anyone knows of any jobs going or can recommend some then please email me at splendidfluff@yahoo.com.au

The other thing I got to say thanks to those who comment, I really get a kick out of comments so to all of you - Thanks!!

Hey Nix, thanks for your comment, but I am sorry I don't know your username so I am not 100% sure I know who you are.

Anyway, will try and post more often!!! Catch ya

Janine

Rocky Roads.........not so smooth sailing

Anyone who thinks that surgery is an easy way out should come and visit me when I have eaten why my body has decided is the wrong thing (even if it accepted last week.

I knew that the first 3 months or so could be hard post op, but I am really really getting tired of trying new things as we are meant to, that are okay foods on their nutritional panels only ot find they make me feel really lousy, full of gas, and then a hour or so later I throw up.

That has actually only happened twice, just that it was 2 nights in a row, and i guess because my surgeon is away on christmas holidays i am a tad scared that if something goes wrong, i am pretty much "on my own"

I am meant to be progresing with introducing new foods, although I ams till no where near ready to try bread, pasta or rice. Can't wait till i can though. Actually i did try a peice of toast, and it was all right going down, but man within 30 minutes i was the burping queen...Now i have never really been a burper, but I am sure learning fast.

Oh, and if you haven't checked out the side bar, since last time I published my weight, i have lost another 4.3 kgs, so that makes a total of 27.1 kgs since my highest weight of 177kgs. It also means that I am now officially under 150 kgs, just scraped in with a weigh in this morning of 149.9 kgs.

You may have noticed I am not publishing my weight at regular intervals. That is pretty much because I am not necessarily weighing on a specific day. Usually i leave it till I need a pick me up. That and when people ask how much I have lost (people from work)I can say "I don't know, I haven't weighed"

Well we are off tomorrow for a couple of days for christmas. Going to go up to Dad's in Feilding on Sunday and then we are going to Taihape to meet Simon's parents for a picnic lunch on Monday, back to Feilding that night and then back home on Christmas nite after spending the day with Dad & Val, my brother and sis in law and their kids (3 boys).

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas,

Ciao

Janine

Oh How things change.

I just had to share my brilliant day yesterday. With only being 3.5
weeks post op, I really didn't expect to have 2 Non Scale Victories pop up so quickly.

The first was in the morning when I casually asked my hubby what time
he came to bed, and if I was awake (I can sometimes not remember) and
he said he "didn't know". I asked him to explain and he said he can no
longer tell if I am awake or asleep as I no longer snore!!!!

I was pretty estatic about that as I have always been a snorer.

About 15 mins later, I was just pulling up to the Railway Station in
Paremata when I looked up and saw my train approaching......and I RAN
for the train......and caught it. And it didn't fell like I was going
to have a heart attack.

Now before the op I would Never have even attempted to runto it, but
now, even though my total loss so far is only 22.8 kilos, I feel better
about myself and I can try anything.

Janine

3 weeks down

Well I really don't know how to describe the last couple of weeks. They have certainly been highs & lows, and I am not sure how to explain it all.

My weight now is 154.2 kgs as of about ten mins ago, so in the last 3 weeks I have 9.3 kgs. I lost 7.5 after the first 2 weeks, so i guess that makes this weeks loss of around 1.8kgs.

I am fully expecting the typical week 3 plateau that most people seem to get, although as I have gone a little backwards with my eating I am not so sure of that.

Anyway, promise I will update more, although this last week I am not sure you would want to read it, or I would ever want to look back at it.

It is in some ways much harder than I thought, and it is actually a chore for me to eat,which mucks with your mind more than your stomach. I am slowly getting my head around it all though, and as mentioned will update more.

Ciao

Home & Feeling good

Well we got home on Monday and I am feeling pretty good. I have been experimenting a little with foods this week, and although everything is still pureed down, i managed to find a butter chicken sauce that almost meets the less than 5 gms of fat per serve and less than 10 gms of suger per 100 gms requirement. I had it with pureed chicken and mashed potato.

I have been a bit sleeply, but some of that I think is from being a bit bored. My wounds have almost all healed up and just look like 6 little scratches.

I think I will start eating a bit more solid stuff over the next week or so.

So, I have had a quick peek at the scales and things are looking good. My official weigh in won't be till Monday, but so far it looks as though I have lost at least 5 kgs since the op. Will confirm more on Monday.

Back to work on Monda, which I am looking forward to. I went in today to check out the Movember staches as they will all shave them off tomorrow night.

Not much planned for the weekend at this point. I am hoping to catch up with a lady from Whangarei who had the surgery a few months ago and who has done brilliantly. But that's about all.

Ciao for now

J

Safe and well in Auckland and another year older

Sorry for the lack of updates, with being in hospital, then at a motel and then in Auckland I kinda forgot to login.

The hospital stay went well, pretty much like clockwork, even down to "the second day blues". I had so much fantastic support, with vistors. I think I had 10 different visitors all up, which the nurses thought was really funny, as for a girl being from Wellington, it sure seemed like I was from Hamilton since I knew so many people.

I really must thank Carol & Brian & their daughter Brenda for being there for me, and really being my second family while I was away. It was great to see Jackie for a visit, although I think I was really tired that day, and some of it went by in a bit of a blur. It was also the day I was a bit down.

We got to meet a few of the nzbypasser ladies, and one of my nurses just about didn't recognise one of them as she has lost so much weight since her op 6 months ago. It was kinda funny meeting them, as Annie and were a bit nervous about the eating, and the ladies were telling us about all the stuff they can now eat, which to us at the moment seems unreachable. I guess you really haev to remember that all this surgery has done is given me the tool to use wisely to lose this weight, if I don't get my head sorted as well, it won't be as successful. Yes I will still lose weight, but not at well as I would if I follow the guildlines.


I also must say that Southern Cross Hospital in Hamilton has the best nursing team, and in particular Ashanna (my main nurse), Jean, Nita and Glennis were all so wonderful. Some of them kept commenting on how positive Annie and I were, but I tell ya, they helped that along alot, and I promised I will send up some pics from time to time as things change.

So after I was discharge we rang the motel to say we were on our way, I had arranged an early checkin when I booked, but the man seemed confused and finally said that the room would be ready in ab out 30 mins, I said fine as we had to go to the supermarket to get some food. Got to the motel and he had forgetten about us, so he raced off to finish the room, and then gave us the key........but the cleaner still had to clean the spa pool.

The next morning at the motel, we got a phone call to say our breakfast was going to be late...as you guessed it, they forgot about us.!!! When I went to checkout they charged me more than what I was quoted,(they added gst) and he then had the cheek to ask for the pin number to my eftpos card!!!! I will be making a huge complaint to someone.......this was meant to be a 4 star motel.

Headed off to Auckland, stopped at PB technologies shop and bought Simon & I a couple of 19 inch widescreen lcd monitors....so gaming will be even more fun now.
They are pretty much our Xmas pressies, although we are thinking of a digital camera of a lcd telly but i think it depends on the money front. I really need to win lotto!!!

It was Birthday on Friday, and Simon bought me some really nice Body shop cream stuff which contains vitamin e, so should help with the skin elasticity.....and hopefully reduce the about of loose skin i will get as part of my weightloss.

I know some of you are dying to know how much I can eat atm, and yes, it is very limted for the first 2- 3 weeks. So here gos yesterdays mealplan......can soemone work outhow many points this is? I think it is about 3 - 4 points per day.

Breakfast
1 poached egg

Lunch
1 cruskit with hummus
1 cruskit with a scraping of marg & vegemite

Dinner
Approx 5 teaspoons of mashed roast pumpkin (Requested for Birthday dinner)

Anyhow, I am not feeling hungry, although the head still tells you differently sometimes.

Well, I am off to have some pills and to figure out what we are going to do in Auckland today. We might go to the museam or to the zoo. Actually the zoo might be good today as it is overcast and therefore not so hot and I think it is meant to rain on Sunday.

On The Otherside

Well it is now approx 24 hrs since my operation. So far things are going well. I am not in alot of pain, although the nurses are very regular with the medication,

I think the most amount of pain is coming from the trapped wind that rides up underneath my rib cage. This should go away when my bowels start to function againm and it was the same when i had my hernia.

I had alot of visitors today. Carol and Brian, the people I was staying with for the night before my surgery. Frank and Bill from work came by, and we got talking about some stuff there, and Phil Jones, who i haven't seen for about years.

I am only on water toda, and i have managed justover 1 jug. it is very hard to rememebr to consantly sip and at the moment water even makes me feel a bit sick. I am not at all hungry, but looking forward to the chicken broth tomorrow, as it will be a change of taste.

ayway, off to walk the hallways some more, then a bit of shorty street ad another snooze I think

On My Way

Wow, doesn't 8 weeks fly by. Actually the last 2 weeks have gone really slowly and I have has the odd slip up. I am sitting at 14 kgs lost on my scales, so I hope the hospital scales will be a little nicer to me.

I am just waiting for Dad & Val to get here for lunch and then one last race around the house to check for items I need to pack and then we need to head to the airport at about 5:30. (I prefer to be early). I am pretty sure that I will most likely get another couple of "good luck" phone calls, which I find really bizarre as I am not nervous at all.

OH, before I forget, I did a couple of pics as well, you know the traditional side and front on ones






I will add comparison ones every month...and I will try to get some measurements done as well. This is going to be exciting watching the changes.

Blip on the radar

Well for all my analysing what was going on with my weight it has dropped right down again this morning.

I am so sick of my body doing unexpected things with my weight.

I cannot wait till the evening of the 19th when all of the surgery will be done and I can get on with living life instead of stressing about it!!!

2 weeks to go - time to kick some butt

Well, the last week certainly has been interesting with having my teeth out and my attitude to this pre op diet changed over that period as well. I am so sick of this, but realise that I only have two weeks to go.

Now,I WAS being really really good all this diet, really untill last week. Simon I had decided that one of the weekends (was meant to be next weekend) after I had got to 15 kgs lost, was going to be a "last meal" weekend. OOPS, we kinda made it this weekend.

I think it all came about as I had been struggling over the last 10 days of this pre op diet, and we came up with this, "let's relax the rules this weekend and then you can go hard over the next two weeks". Umm, well weighed this morning and I have gained......2.6 kgs!!!!!!!! so back to 167kgs. Not looking forward to telling the dietician!!!

But hopefully it will give my body a bit of a kick start again, cos it did seem to fall into a lull there. I also think having my own scales at home is dangerous and does not work for me......at least while I am dieting.

Also, not sure how much this actually will have to do with it and I don't really want to sound like it is an excuse, but I only restarted "the pill" 3 weeks ago........so is it possible that some of this is "the pill" weight???

Also, that means that my period is due next week, and I always lose like 2 kgs right after my period, which is like the day of surgery.

I know, all sounds very excuse ridden, when bottom line, I got bored, and ate!! SO, now I have to move this lard in the 2 weeks I have. Plan of attack???

Well for a start, back to my 2 meal replacements, my 2 litres of water per day, and my 100 gms of protein and non starchy veges at night!!!

On the exercise front I need to move my booty, and walking the dog jsut doesn't do it for me....yes it is good, but it is not good enough to move the lard. SO, tonight I am going Line Dancing and today I will ring around a whole heap of gyms and see if I can't get my arse into somewhere for just 2 weeks.....even if I have to pay per session. Then I am going to jump on a treadmill everyday and walk walk walk...for like 45 mins and see how far I can go. I am thinking that they gym closest to work might be the best option, or I could just go back to curves.....i think i might have to give them a couple months worth of payments to catch up, but that is doable as well.

But, it means that I have to do something to shift pretty much around 5 kgs in 2 weeks, otherwise I will not be a happy camper and I will be putting myself at risk !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

weight is up a little

For some reason my weight has crept up again.....might have something to do with the odd carb (like rice) working it's way into my diet.

I had scrambled eggs last night for dinner as I only had one meal replacement all day, and was craving eggs....I couldn't really eat much more after having 2 of my wisdom teeth ripped out and about 6 filling's on the left side of my mouth. I hate the dentist and I am such a big sook. He was great and it didn't hurt.......untill about 30 mins after I left the surgery and I was in so much pain. I am still on nurofen today and can hardly open my mouth to talk.

Anyway, I am off work atm with because of my mouth and should be back at work tomorrow.

Countdown has begun

I really found last week a challenge....more than half way through but it still seemed such a long time to go before the surgery. It is funny what a difference a few days makes.

I had a couple of treats last week and they consisted of Bread.....a kebab mid week and a roast beef sandwich on Saturday. I have found that I have been a bit blocked up...but managed to "Go" and I managed a great 1.4 kgs.

I have managed to walk the dog a couple times over the weekend. I have got her a halti and she hates it, and trys to paw it off, but I certainly have much more control over her.

Tonight I am also going to line dancing with Annie, so that will be fun.

Some before Pics

I really wanted to share some yukky before pics.

These were taken the weekend before I started my pre op diet on the 24th Sept 2007. I was at my heaviest of 177kgs.



And one sitting down, but it unfortunatley not a very good quality pic.

I told ya I was a slack tart.....& long weekend update

Well well well

I am really beginning to be slack about this journaling lark.

No excuses really just couldn't be bothered signing in and have not really got much to say.

Last week went by in a blur and I was looking forward to the long weekend.
Saturday, just did the usual stuff like shopping, housework, playing on computer etc. We also went out and bought a new set of scales so that means i can weigh in at home.

Sunday was my dad's birthday lunch at Cobb n Co in Paraparaumu, and I found out that their service sucks. All i wanted them to do was to steam my brocoli instead of having it in the cheese sauce, but do you think they would. NO!!!!

Certainly indicates that it might be harder post surgery to cope with eating out!!

On Sunday I also picked up a whole heap of clothes that my cousin has given me, so i had fun sorting them out to the fit now and fit soon categories....which was cool. There was even some that were too big....way cool.

On the exercise front, not been good at all...I was going to go to Line dancing with Annie, but I just didn't feel up to it at all. Was really tired yesterday ( maybe it had something to do with going to bed at 3am - being over tired and not falling asleep till 6am on Monday morning)

Weighed in today and I am really pleased to say that I have lost 3kgs over the last week......so that brigns me to a total of 11.3 kgs lost so far in 4 weeks. I am really really pleased.

God I'm a Slack Tart

For not updating.

Last week was pretty full on but for what reason's I cannae remember.

I actually had a really good week last week, although TOM arrived this Monday and explains why I just had to have a couple of pieces of bread on Sunday. (shush though cos Simon doesn't know)

I took the dog for one walk last week on the only fine day, and we went to the local park. It was not very fun after we walked in the not mown grass, and she got excited about seeing another dog....and she pulled me over.........now the reason why the grass wasn't mown was that it was more like a swimming pool than a field. I was soaked.

I weighed in at Jenny yesterday, and I lost another 1.3 kgs, which I was really happy about, especially as TOM is here and my bread indiscretion. I actually have to thank Anne for her comments on my last entry, as she made me realise that yes if it weren't for the time pressures I would be damn happy with the losses that I am having. How many other times have I been able to lose 8.3 kgs in 3 weeks!!!!!

Anywho......back to the boring stuff

J

Finding things a bit tough going.

Been finding things a bit harder since Friday.....but I have been a bit stressed out.

I got home from work on Friday and it was all go about 5 mins after I got there......the cat suddenly gave this deafening,a nd most horrible meow. She was having some sort of seizure/stroke and i was convinced that she was going to drop dead.

Got her to the vet and nothing seemed wrong........yes she is a bit wobbly on her legs, but the vet could not pinpoint anything specifically wrong. They had suggested blood tests that might not given them any idea due to the influence of the episode....but as the cat is 17 years old, and that they would cost approx $200 which I don't have I thought I would just tae her home and monitor her.

She was pretty shakey over the weekend but managed to come right this morning...yelling at me for food and no where near as unstable on her back legs....she even jumped up on the bed at 6 am to wake me up.

Weigh in on monday was okay......I lost 1.4 kgs taking me to 7 kgs lost in 2 weeks, but I can't help but feel a little dissappointed as I was expecting a little more.
I am also struggling with why I have to lsoe so much when others I know of who are simalar weights/age/height etc are only have to lose say 60% of what I am.

I spoke to the nutrictionist about it and she gave me some excuses about why it is so........but when I said it feels like it is a figure just plucked out the thin air, she actually admitted that it is a little bit of that.

On the positive though, I also asked her about my blood tests that I had done whilst I was up there, and she said I was a freak of Nature....she said my bloods were absolutley perfect and no problems at all.......so that is cool.

She also said that I should go ahead and book my flights for the surgery as withteh way I am going I should get very close to my goal...if not hit it......and she said that even if I got to say 14 kgs lost, David would not turn me away, especially in light of my great blood work.

Oh the other thing that was damn frustrating last night, was that Si was outside when some kids were going from house to house selling chocolate. He thought I had not seen them so he bought a bar and hid it. Then when he came into the kitchen I casually asked him how many bars he had bought, and he admitted he had bought one........I said "I see" and walked into the computer room. He told me about 10 mins later that he had thrown it away.......although I kinda think that he ate it. He finally got it through his head that it was not very supportive.

Challenges

Tomorrow at work we have a pot luck lunch. I was contemplating taking part by bringing in a salad, however I had a sneak peak at the scales and so far this week I have only lost 200 gms, so I decided that I am better off not doing the pot luck.

Also, I am going to weigh my protein again as I think it may have crept up a little. (amazing in such a short tiemspan how I can cram more meat into a meal)

The only other difference to last week was, apart from being sick, I drank decaf tea at home whereas at work I have normal. Luckily for me our admin lady loves me and she is buying in some decaf, so that will be good.

I am so trying not to let this bum me out cos I know that I always have a good week, then a bad week then a good week etc etc etc, and I cannot fall into the trap of letting a bad week affect me.

OH, today when I had a peak at the scales, the women at Jenny Craig (where I weigh since I paid all the hundreds of dollars years ago) kept questioning me, and trying to get me back on program. In the end I just said, look I am not willing to discuss what program I am on, just that both my doctor (note I did not say surgeon)nutricionist & psychologist are aware of my program and are supporting me 100%. They seemed happy enough with that......until about 30 mins later when I get a phone call checking all is okay with me from the centre manager. Oh well......I am still gonna weigh in there!

Well I am 12.5% of the way there

Yep, 1 week down - 7 to go, so 12.5% of the way there already.

The week was really hard with being sick, and now that I am back at work, it feels even tougher as I can't go and have a nana nap when I get hungry. Workmates are being really great, very supportive and doing things like moving the cookie tin tot he cupboard before I get to morning tea so I don't have the temptation.


Weekend was pretty quiet, still recovering from the cold. I really wanted to go to bar Bodega on Saturday night as they had a country rock night there and it would have been cool, but I didn't not feel up to it at all.

I did however manage to go to the WLS support group, which was at the Tasting Room on Courteney place and I got to meet Annie which was fantastic. We have spoken on the phone so much and we are sharing so much of this journey together as we have the same surgery date in Hamilton so it was great to put the name to the face, and I can't wait to be walking the hallways of Southern Cross with her.

Also met another lady from Wellington who is having her surgery in 2 weeks, so it is brilliant that there is a group of us who will be having shared experiences.

I haven't managed to get in any exercise yet, have not really had the energy. I still had to have a nana nap when I got home yesterday and I felt much better afterwards.

I had my weigh in yesterday, and I was a bit worried that I would not lose as much as I had hoped. I was really hoping for at least 4kgs to be on track for losing the 17 kgs in time for the surgery. I Shouldn't have worried....I lost 5.6 kgs, so I am nicely on target to lose enough for the surgery.

Wednesday - Still Sick, but sticking to it

Day 3 of pre op diet and I still have a very heavy cold/throat/ear infection, which the doctor has given me till next Monday off work.

Have been sticking to the program and I am hoping for a good loss.

Anyway back to bed.

8 weeks and a counting

Got back from my meeting with the team in Hamilton. Everyone there is so lovely and so positive, you just knwo that you are going to have support throught the whole process.

Anyway...pre op diet time....I will be starting on Monday and it will be really hard, but I have 8 weeks to lose 17 kgs.......otherwise the surgery will not go ahead. I am choosing to do it the tough was I guess, but have some amazing support with Annie doing it with me, and the moral support I am getting from Jackie, Jude and Jayne.

So the details of my eating for the next 8 weeks is:

I will be replacing 2 meals with it and I am allowed to have ublimited non starchy vegetables as well. So NO carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, kumara, beetroot etc etc,

My evening meal is to be 100-150 gms of lean meat and once again unlimted vegetables......Brocolli, cauli, mushrooms, silverbeet, spinich, lettuce, tomatoes.....

The clinic suggested a nana nap in the afternoons since I have such a big gap from lunch till dinner. Lunch is at 11:30 till 12:00 and dinner is around 6:45pm......that way It will kill some time, remove me from temptation and I hopefully won't be too grumpy.

So upshot is that it is Carb free which is something I think I will find hard but in reality i am never going to be a big carb eater ever again.

Looking forward to weighing in after that first week of being really really good.

Feeling Nervous

Wow

I am feeling really really nervous. I spoke with a lady from Upper Hutt who had her appt with David on Monday and her surgery date is 19th November. So it might be around then.

I am really nervous about the pre op diet and being able to lose enough. I reckon he is going to ask me to lose like 15 kgs....which is going to be so hard.

Anyway have to get ready and pack....only an 1 1/2 hours before I need to leave the house.......arggghhh


Bye

On my way.

Well I am on my way. I have my appointment with David and the team in Hamilton on the 19th - 20th of September 2007.

It is really funny, I am so calm about meeting with him. The most nerve racking process was asking my birth parents to help me out with the medical history.

I have been analysing what and how I eat since I started looking into WLS and I have found that I hardly chew at all and that I tend to eat for eating sake. Not sure what the nutricionist is going to make of all that. I thought that I would record a food diary for this next week, including how I was feeling at the time but I am not sure about that.

Will give it some more thought.