Lame!

I started this blog to keep up with my progress and haven't even posted in a while! Can you say LAME?!

I went back to work last Monday after a 3 week hiatus/medical leave. I can't say I was happy to be back...I was just back! I guess it's good to get back into a routine, however boring it may be. People at work said they could tell I had lost weight. I don't know if they were just saying that to be nice or what but I'll take it!!

I think I've been eating badly. Since I don't have any restriction I am actually able to eat just about everything. I haven't tried anything with bread, like a hamburger or chicken sandwich, or rice. I'm a little scared to try them and it's probably a good thing. I have noticed that I've swallowed something without chewing it enough and it's been a little painful but I haven't thrown up or anything. I just have to remember to eat slower and take smaller bites. It's all a learning process!

In Brenna news, last week she had another ear infection. I think that's her 3rd one. And last night she started having a runny nose. It's always something! But last week we took her to a Halloween carnival and she won a ribbon in the costume contest! She was the cutest monkey you ever saw!!

2 week post-op

I had my check-up today. I was nervous about getting on the scale. I haven't been weighing myself much since surgery just because I didn't want to stress about it and I didn't know how my scale compared to the doctors. I couldn't believe when the nurse said I was down 12 pounds! That's 12 pounds in 2 weeks! I know I won't lose 6 pounds a week every week but it was awesome to hear that!

I've been eating a lot of mushies - mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, soft scrambled eggs, sugar free pudding and even a small amount of chicken too. I just make sure it's really moist and that I chew, chew, chew. The other night I made spaghetti and ate a little. I tried a couple of bites with some of the meat and I shouldn't have. I didn't get sick but I could feel it in my chest. So it was back to small bites of noodles with sauce for me!

I don't go back to the doctor until January. My doc is very conservative about fills, where saline is put into the band to make it tighter. He doesn't do them until 3 months post-op. I've read online where a lot of docs do it 3-6 weeks out. I'm glad mine waits longer. Besides, that will get me through the end of the year to enjoy some holiday food (in much smaller portions!) before I get a fill. My goal was to lose 20 pounds by Christmas but since I've already lost 12 I may make it a 30 pound goal!

Ahh agony!

Have you ever had a heart attack? OK, probably not. You know when you drink a soda too fast and you get that burning sensation in your chest? Multiply that by 10 and move the pain to your shoulder. That's how I'm feeling today. I know it's gas pain left over from my surgery but OMG it is sooo painful. Maybe even more than the surgery itself.

Right after surgery the pain was in my chest and back, now it's moved to my left shoulder and arm. I can even feel it into my neck. It's like it comes in waves, I'll be OK for a while and then I'll take a deep breath and WHAM! I've been sleeping with the heating pad on my shoulder but I don't know if it's actually doing any good. I don't want to take any more of my pain meds so I took some Tylenol to see if it would help. I know the gas has to work its way out of my body but I sure wish I could help it along!

Other than that I've been feeling really good. I drove a little this past few days, getting in and out of the car is a little tricky sometimes but I managed. I realized today that I have not had a Diet Dr Pepper or Diet Coke since October 1st! Anyone that knows me knows what an amazing thing that is!! Funny thing is, I haven't really missed it. I'm drinking bottles and bottles of water every day. And that's soooo not like me either! LOL!

Rude awakening...

At about 10pm last night Brenna was sitting in her crib just talking to herself. I think she was talking in her sleep. About an hour later I heard her make a strange cough so I went to check on her. As soon as I opened the door I smelled something REALLY nasty but I didn't know what it was. I turned on the light and she and her crib were COVERED in vomit! I started yelling for Brandon and he grabbed her and put her in the tub. While I cleaned her up he put her bedding in the was and put clean sheets on her bed.

She didn't cry until I yelled for Brandon. I really think she was asleep while she threw up. She went right back to sleep once her bed was changed. She didn't have any fever and as soon as she was clean she was her smiley chatty self. It was DISGUSTING...it's a miracle I didn't throw up too.

After we put her back to bed I just sat in the rocker in her room watching her. I couldn't go to bed until I knew she was ok.

I love mashed potatoes!!

I moved on to "mushies" yesterday... first stop was KFC baby! I got a large mashed potatoes and just finished that last of it for dinner. Now I get to have pudding and yogurt, malt-o-meal, cream soups, applesauce, soft veggies. Yeah, and pureed meat. I think I'll just skip that part. I'm not going to blend my meat!!

I haven't had much today, probably not as much as I am supposed to have. For breakfast I had a yogurt smoothie and for lunch a sugar free pudding and for dinner mashed taters. And about 4 bottles of water in between there. I know there is a push-up in the freezer calling my name for later too!

Brandon has been sick since Thursday night. He's had fever on and off, mostly on, the whole time. I told him I'd take him to the urgent care but he wouldn't go. So tomorrow I have to see if I can get him in to the doctor. Since I can't pick up Brenna, even though I already did - don't tell! - my Mom has been coming over to help me. Thank you Mom!! You're the BEST!

I did it!

The deed is done, I am now a member of Lap-Band Nation! I had every intention of posting as soon as I got home from the hospital but I just wasn't up to it. The last couple of days have been rough, I won't lie.

When I woke up in recovery I was nauseated from the anesthesia and that was NO fun. I immediately noticed I had horrible painful gas in my chest. It was very hard for me to take a deep breath. It's tons better today but I can still feel the gas, it's settled in my left shoulder and breast area. I swear, this has to be what a heart attack feels like. It's been the worst part. The incisions are still tender and I've had to learn new ways to get up and down from bed. But it's been manageable.

I've been on strictly liquids, protein shakes, water, juice, broth, Gatorade, popsicles. Tomorrow I get to start soft foods, pudding, applesauce, mashed potatoes. I am REALLY going to enjoy those potatoes! I already told Brandon he's got to go to KFC and get me some tomorrow!

I actually got out of the house today. Brandon and I went to get Brenna at daycare and we stopped by Target. It did me good to walk around but I was worn out when we got home. On a better note, Brenna has totally kicked whatever was ailing her the last couple of weeks! When she got home from daycare yesterday she was her smiley happy self again! I sure missed that light in her eyes while she was sick! That girl just makes my heart happy, ya know?

Busy busy!

Today was a really busy day for me. I'm sure it had a lot to do with knowing I will be out of commission for a bit. This morning Brenna had her 15 month check up. She was 22 lbs and 30 inches. She got 2 shots and that was hard on me! After the doctor we went to lunch at Pappasitos! Yum-o! Brenna wasn't really in the mood for a sit-down restaurant though so it was a quick one.

We went to the mall for a little while and then came home. Brenna and I napped and when we got up we went to a pumpkin patch. Something about pumpkins and 90 degree weather just don't go together! It was a quick trip! Then it was off to Target to get some last minute things I might need and back home... finally!

During the day today my surgery was rescheduled twice! Initially is was going to be at 2:15 but was changed to 12:45. Then it changed again to 10:45. Fine by me, the earlier the better. I will be home before I know it.

I won't lie and say I'm not nervous. I am. But I know I am doing the best thing for myself. I am having Brandon take some "before" pics tonight. No, they will NOT be posted for public viewing! LOL! Maybe once I see a difference in them I will but for now no!

I will post again as soon as I feel up to it. Wish me luck!!