No I am not talking about 20K in money.......but in hits on my blog. I can't believe since I started this version on my blog back in 2007 that I have had over 20000 page views....that is pretty cool really, and I do thank you for the support you have given me over that time. The blog itself has never really for me been about my weightloss but a way of connecting with people, and I have to say I have met some very very special people through blogging.
To touch on how things are right now, well, I need to blog more often atm, as I really need to keep a journal of what I am eating. With the change in medication and change in diet it seems that my weight is on the climb.....I thought things were going well with a 700 gm loss over 4 days last week, but on Monday it was all there plus some more and my eating has actually been pretty good. I do think that the new meds that I now have twice a day are mixing with the steroids more, and if nothing else by keeping a journal of what I am eating, if the weight continues to climb at least I have a written record of what has been happening, so it can be shown that it was not what I was putting in my mouth!!!!
So today, I made a really concious effort to record everything that went into my mouth.
So here goes
Breakfast - Vanilla Protein shake, made with protein powder, 4 dessertspoons of natural yoghurt and about 100 mls of light blue milk.
Cup of tea with milk and artificial sweetner when I got to work
Morning tea - cup of tea with milk and artificial sweetner.
Lunch - left over beef curry and about 1/2 cup rice + manderin ( total serving about 1 - 1.5 cups)
Afternoon tea - manderin and two cups of tea with milk and artificial sweetner.
Pre dinner snack (dinner was late) - 10 rice crackers, about 6 with a small slice of brie cheese & a can of coke zero
Dinner - Home made low fat nachos,(mince+ kidney beans., tomato paste and chilli) and approx 10 cornchips. Topped with about 1/8 cup grated edam cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
Supper - gluten free biscuit, low fat, low sugar......and a hot chocolate, made with milk.
So that is what I ate.....now to some of you that might seen like heaps, but it is hard to explain the quantity and you need to remember that I am over 2.5 years post op and that most meals are around 1.5 cups worth of food, which on a plate looks like heaps more.
The meet & greet registrations are going well, although was a bit bummed that one of the girls in Auckland is trying to get something together for up there. It is meant to be a National event that we are doing, but oh well.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Health update
Well - it is has been a really busy week healthwise. Have seen 3 doctors over the past week, and all with different things.....man I wonder how I can keep up sometimes.
Okay so to drag you all back to last Wednesday, I saw my liver specialist, and I am not responding to the medication the way they thought I should and my liver results have not been declining.....so they have put me on other immune suppressants and still have me on steroids. They have apparently also referred my case to the head of the Auckland University Med school to look into ( I think the head of gastroenterology) as he said I am 'odd and unusual'......nice!!!!
I then saw my GP yesterday, which was fine, both Si and I went and it was in part to discuss if we can look at children in the future, that is still a bit uncertain with all of the meds etc, but he would like to refer me to a fertility specialist if we are going to go down that road as apparently I am old.....LOL.
Then yesterday I also saw the dermatologist who had taken a huge hunk out of my arm a couple of weeks ago and biopsed it.....and apparently although I tested negative via a blood test for Coeliac's disease the biopsy result came back as a very strong positive to Dermatitis Herpetiformis which is very closley linked with gluten intolerance. There is also a connection between that and Auto-Immune Liver disease......so I have been working out how I am going to manage a Gluten Free diet and a WLS surgery diet, and it shouldn't be too hard, and I got some ideas from Zola (the nurtitionist at my surgeons office).
Basically to me I am at the point that if I follow this diet now, and get my rash and liver under control, it will mean that I can most likely come off the steroids and long term may also mean that I don't need the immune suppressants, which would be fabulous. It also might mean that I can finally break the 100 kgs barrier and lose some more weight, although that has crept up over hte last week with the new combination of drugs and is now hovering around 108 kgs.......if it gets to 110 I will freak right out!!!!!
In talking with Zola today we talked about how post op there seems to be two types of people, ones that embrace the new diets with flair and ease and see food as a fuel and adapt easily......and then there are people like me, who have a relationship with food, and I have to enjoy what I am eating, and I can't have the same thing day in and day out.....just doesn't do it for me. It is an addiction, and I need to be able to figure out how to live with it and handle that addiction on a daily basis.....like today....I knew that gluten was off the table......so what did i manage to find that had no gluten in it???? Cadbury's Dairy Milk Chocolate!!!!!!! How stupid is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here I am trying to actually make a positive change to help my health and I still can manage to sabotage myself and eat something that is not good for other aspects of my health........just stupid, but I really do think that part of me was feeling like I was missing out on something, so I replaced that something (bread) with the chocolate.
So if anyone has any good gluten free recipies please send them my way as I have to get my head around this!!!!
Okay so to drag you all back to last Wednesday, I saw my liver specialist, and I am not responding to the medication the way they thought I should and my liver results have not been declining.....so they have put me on other immune suppressants and still have me on steroids. They have apparently also referred my case to the head of the Auckland University Med school to look into ( I think the head of gastroenterology) as he said I am 'odd and unusual'......nice!!!!
I then saw my GP yesterday, which was fine, both Si and I went and it was in part to discuss if we can look at children in the future, that is still a bit uncertain with all of the meds etc, but he would like to refer me to a fertility specialist if we are going to go down that road as apparently I am old.....LOL.
Then yesterday I also saw the dermatologist who had taken a huge hunk out of my arm a couple of weeks ago and biopsed it.....and apparently although I tested negative via a blood test for Coeliac's disease the biopsy result came back as a very strong positive to Dermatitis Herpetiformis which is very closley linked with gluten intolerance. There is also a connection between that and Auto-Immune Liver disease......so I have been working out how I am going to manage a Gluten Free diet and a WLS surgery diet, and it shouldn't be too hard, and I got some ideas from Zola (the nurtitionist at my surgeons office).
Basically to me I am at the point that if I follow this diet now, and get my rash and liver under control, it will mean that I can most likely come off the steroids and long term may also mean that I don't need the immune suppressants, which would be fabulous. It also might mean that I can finally break the 100 kgs barrier and lose some more weight, although that has crept up over hte last week with the new combination of drugs and is now hovering around 108 kgs.......if it gets to 110 I will freak right out!!!!!
In talking with Zola today we talked about how post op there seems to be two types of people, ones that embrace the new diets with flair and ease and see food as a fuel and adapt easily......and then there are people like me, who have a relationship with food, and I have to enjoy what I am eating, and I can't have the same thing day in and day out.....just doesn't do it for me. It is an addiction, and I need to be able to figure out how to live with it and handle that addiction on a daily basis.....like today....I knew that gluten was off the table......so what did i manage to find that had no gluten in it???? Cadbury's Dairy Milk Chocolate!!!!!!! How stupid is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here I am trying to actually make a positive change to help my health and I still can manage to sabotage myself and eat something that is not good for other aspects of my health........just stupid, but I really do think that part of me was feeling like I was missing out on something, so I replaced that something (bread) with the chocolate.
So if anyone has any good gluten free recipies please send them my way as I have to get my head around this!!!!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
It's here.....the WLS Meet & Greet Website
Wow, I can't believe we are at this point. Last night the green light went ahead on the WLS Meet & Greet Website, and we are now accepting registrations and the first 2 hours we had had 7 registrations......it is so cool. As of this morning there is 14 registrations and most of those from people I don't actually know.....I think it is really going to take off, and so many people are interested in getting a WLS organisation set up out of this, which of course I really want to be part of.
So if you are keen to check out the website and even register for the event, click here for the WLS Meet & Greet website.
Other news, well it looks as though I am buying a new scooter, my one developed a fuel leak a couple of weeks ago, and it has certainly made things harder.....getting to work etc...so pretty sure I will be picking that up on Thursday/Friday. I might also be upgrading our computers as both ours are getting old and tired.....!!!!
Feeling the cold at the moment, and thank goodness we bought that wood and got in stacked before that cold weather really hit......feeling the warmth in the lounge. I do also need to get some baking done today so we have some lunchbox supplies for myself and Si. Nothing extravagant, just some bran muffins and some gingernuts.
So if you are keen to check out the website and even register for the event, click here for the WLS Meet & Greet website.
Other news, well it looks as though I am buying a new scooter, my one developed a fuel leak a couple of weeks ago, and it has certainly made things harder.....getting to work etc...so pretty sure I will be picking that up on Thursday/Friday. I might also be upgrading our computers as both ours are getting old and tired.....!!!!
Feeling the cold at the moment, and thank goodness we bought that wood and got in stacked before that cold weather really hit......feeling the warmth in the lounge. I do also need to get some baking done today so we have some lunchbox supplies for myself and Si. Nothing extravagant, just some bran muffins and some gingernuts.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Okay - so what do you think
I'm dying to hear what people think of the new blog format.....I had to change it since my other template broke....or they stopped supporting it.....I just love it!!! I love the way I was able to add my own pic to it, and that I can have multiple pages if I want.
Feel free to check out the two tabs at the top...one to my you tube page which I must do and entry for and one for the WLS Meet & Greet website which is almost ready.
Have been crazy busy at work this week and I am getting pain in my joints again, similar to last year, so I think the cold weather does have an effect on that. It is weird, it is like to the first step or two after I have been in one position for longer than 5 mins really hurts!!!!
Anyway- off to go and sit by the fire and maybe read some of my book. I am reading Carnie Wilsons Gut Feeling, which is all about her Gastric Bypass. I know that since her surgery she has had some struggles and I am hoping to watch her TV show online as I am pretty sure we won't get it here. It is called "Carnie Wilson: Unstapled"
Feel free to check out the two tabs at the top...one to my you tube page which I must do and entry for and one for the WLS Meet & Greet website which is almost ready.
Have been crazy busy at work this week and I am getting pain in my joints again, similar to last year, so I think the cold weather does have an effect on that. It is weird, it is like to the first step or two after I have been in one position for longer than 5 mins really hurts!!!!
Anyway- off to go and sit by the fire and maybe read some of my book. I am reading Carnie Wilsons Gut Feeling, which is all about her Gastric Bypass. I know that since her surgery she has had some struggles and I am hoping to watch her TV show online as I am pretty sure we won't get it here. It is called "Carnie Wilson: Unstapled"
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Almost there
Wow, Time sure is flying......I have been once again busy with getting the WLS Meet & Greet off the ground and finalising sponsorship etc that I have been ever so neglectful of this blog.
Everything is coming together and we will have the website up and running soon. I have been speaking with a heap of the surgeons and they are all very supportive and it even looks as though at least one member of parliament who has had WLS will be coming along. Getting exciting getting firm commitments from a number of companies who have either sponsored or are providing freebies and prizes for the actual event. I am still working on more though as I think we deserve it!!!!
The main theme for the Meet & Greet is "Celebrating our decision to lead healthier lives with WLS" and I can't wait!!!!! Also the idea about getting a WLS non profit organisation is definitely coming together as well. I am so driven to making both of these things a reality and at times is putting me out of my comfort zone, but I am meeting the challenges, which is cool.
Si's parents moved to their new house on May 25th and I spent the following weekend rearranging the furniture and rooms at our house. They still have a heap of stuff here, and will have for some time, but I think both couples are enjoying having their own space.
Oh one of the things that was pretty cool this past week, was that I got a load of firewood delivered, and we got it all stacked on the same day...Now it was 4 cubic metres of wood and I did about 1/2 of it in the morning before going to work, and then Si & I did the other 1/2 with a little bit of help from Si's Dad in the evening. So we have dry firewood....yay!!!! I would never in a million years be able to stack all that firewood pre op, just something so simple and yet I didn't really even get that puffed doing it.....was fantastic.
Other than that, have just been working - pretty boring really. LOL. I had a biopsy on rash this week as well, and I thought it was going to be a nice little needle/core biopsy.....but no, he took a big hunk out and left me with stitches.....which I have to get taken out at the dr's later this week.
I have to go back and see the dermatoligist later this month for the results.....he was thinking that I was coeliac, but I been blood tested and it showed negative.......then he talked about an auto immune condition, which to me makes more sense as since I already have auto immune issues it seems like a no brainer......On the liver front, things are still elevated and I got back and see that specialist this week....I have started getting the aching legs again, and the join pain....so not sure what is happening. I am pretty sure it is going to just be stay on the drugs and see what happens..
This weekend, has been really quiet for me, Si has done something to his neck/shoulder and could hardly move....went to go to the after hours dr last night, but they close at 10pm and ended up at emergency.......which was stupid as it was not an emergency but he was in lots of pain. The wait was over 3 hours, so we came home and he managed to get some sleep and feels a little better today. We have had a fire going pretty much all weekend to try and keep warm as it has been raining all the time.
Yesterday we had the WLS support group, which as always was fun to catch up with everyone.
Everything is coming together and we will have the website up and running soon. I have been speaking with a heap of the surgeons and they are all very supportive and it even looks as though at least one member of parliament who has had WLS will be coming along. Getting exciting getting firm commitments from a number of companies who have either sponsored or are providing freebies and prizes for the actual event. I am still working on more though as I think we deserve it!!!!
The main theme for the Meet & Greet is "Celebrating our decision to lead healthier lives with WLS" and I can't wait!!!!! Also the idea about getting a WLS non profit organisation is definitely coming together as well. I am so driven to making both of these things a reality and at times is putting me out of my comfort zone, but I am meeting the challenges, which is cool.
Si's parents moved to their new house on May 25th and I spent the following weekend rearranging the furniture and rooms at our house. They still have a heap of stuff here, and will have for some time, but I think both couples are enjoying having their own space.
Oh one of the things that was pretty cool this past week, was that I got a load of firewood delivered, and we got it all stacked on the same day...Now it was 4 cubic metres of wood and I did about 1/2 of it in the morning before going to work, and then Si & I did the other 1/2 with a little bit of help from Si's Dad in the evening. So we have dry firewood....yay!!!! I would never in a million years be able to stack all that firewood pre op, just something so simple and yet I didn't really even get that puffed doing it.....was fantastic.
Other than that, have just been working - pretty boring really. LOL. I had a biopsy on rash this week as well, and I thought it was going to be a nice little needle/core biopsy.....but no, he took a big hunk out and left me with stitches.....which I have to get taken out at the dr's later this week.
I have to go back and see the dermatoligist later this month for the results.....he was thinking that I was coeliac, but I been blood tested and it showed negative.......then he talked about an auto immune condition, which to me makes more sense as since I already have auto immune issues it seems like a no brainer......On the liver front, things are still elevated and I got back and see that specialist this week....I have started getting the aching legs again, and the join pain....so not sure what is happening. I am pretty sure it is going to just be stay on the drugs and see what happens..
This weekend, has been really quiet for me, Si has done something to his neck/shoulder and could hardly move....went to go to the after hours dr last night, but they close at 10pm and ended up at emergency.......which was stupid as it was not an emergency but he was in lots of pain. The wait was over 3 hours, so we came home and he managed to get some sleep and feels a little better today. We have had a fire going pretty much all weekend to try and keep warm as it has been raining all the time.
Yesterday we had the WLS support group, which as always was fun to catch up with everyone.
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