Four months post weight loss surgery--progress report

I know I'm three months behind on my blog and have lots to catch up on (especially July, we did lots of fun stuff!), but I've had several people ask for an update on my weight loss since my surgery so I thought it was time for a progress report. 

On May 12, 2011 I went in for my pre-op appointment at my doctor's office and they took this "before" picture (294 lbs.):

My doctor is Christina Richards at The Bariatric Medicine Institute in Salt Lake. I looked into gastric bypass surgery fifteen years ago, but was very worried about the death rate, complications, lifetime malabsorbtion of vitamins, expense, and gaining the weight back because of changes to metabolism during pregnancy. Since I'm done having kids, last year I did some research on weight loss surgery and found that my insurance now covers it at 90%, the death rate is even lower than just getting your gallbladder out, and there are several new surgical options. I decided on the vertical sleeve gastrectomy where they cut away over 85% of the stomach, but leave the pylorus valve intact and don't do any rerouting of the intestines. This procedure makes it so I can't eat very much at one sitting, but I do digest all the calories and fat I eat, and absorb all the vitamins and nutrients.

For the week before my surgery (so starting on May 16th) I had to be on a liquid diet. I could only have protein shakes, water, Crystal Light, and sugar-free Jell-O. It was rough, but I lost 16 lbs! I had a lot of people ask if I had an amazing "last meal". We always eat at my mom and dad's on Sunday evening, and my mom had previously asked if I had a request for something special. I told her just to pick something since she knows what I like and I have too many favorites (hence the being morbidly obese). Unfortunately, my dad decided to make pot roast and mashed potatoes instead of whatever my mom suggested, neither of which I care for (especially since it was some cut of roast that I especially hate because it's in thick, tough slices instead of falling apart). I was emotional anyway and decided to just have broccoli for dinner and pout about it (and cried when I got home). So, no, I really didn't have the last meal I hoped for, but I am so, so grateful to my parents for feeding us every week and it is nearly always absolutely delicious. I still sometimes daydream of an awesome last meal, something like a fabulous Vegas buffet!

On the morning of the 23rd, Tammy came over to watch Christian (and took Faith out of school early to do fun stuff) and my mom took me to Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. I had a fairly long wait for my surgery because of problems with the patient ahead of me, but my mom is excellent company! Everything went well with my operation and I was in my recovery room by about 5:30 pm or so. I didn't have much pain, but the hospital was short on nursing staff so I was very irritated that I couldn't get unhooked from all the machines every hour to walk the halls like my surgeon recommended. I also didn't get much sleep because every time I started to drift off, the oxygen sensor machine's alarm would go off. Apparently the pain meds made me so sleepy that I wouldn't breathe deeply enough.

I was very glad when they finally decided to release me the next afternoon, and Tony and the kids came to pick me up. I did extremely well recovering, especially when I took at least a small percentage of the pain medication that I was prescribed (I HATE feeling drugged and kept trying to go off the Lortab too early). By the 31st I was off the pain meds entirely and feeling pretty normal again. After the surgery I had to be on a liquid diet for two weeks, then two weeks of soft foods (like yogurt, cottage cheese, cream soups, baby food). When I was ready for my first real food, it was a celebration and Tony brought home snow crab legs! I love them and they have never tasted better.

By June 6th I was feeling great and went on lots of excursions with Tammy and the kids (see past blog entries). Here I am at the Ancient History Museum at Thanksgiving Point (264 lbs.):

In mid-July Faith and I went to the Utah Shakespeare Festival (which you can find out about in future blog entries). This was taken July 14th (245 lbs.):

This one is from July 22nd (241 lbs.):

And I was feeling fabulous about my weight loss until I saw this pic my dad snapped of me at the hot tub in Park City on August 5th (232 lbs.):

(I think that this is proof that wearing a swimsuit makes you look at least fifty pounds fatter. Being in a sitting position and being photographed from that angle certainly don't help things, too.)

Here I am petting a baby camel at the Davis County Fair on August 20th (225 lbs.):

At my niece, Alaura's baptism on September 3rd (220 lbs.):

Holding my new nephew, Brandt, on September 13th (217 lbs.):

I finally decided to take some actual progress pics on September 16th (216 lbs.):

And an official "4 month" anniversary photo on September 23rd (212 lbs.):

Graphing

I started at 296 and was 212 at four months (I was technically 294 when the "Before" pic was taken, but was 296 just a few days before that).

My surgery has been a great tool for losing weight, but it has still been quite difficult. Weight loss surgery is not the "easy way out" that some people say. It doesn't keep me from eating unhealthy foods, snacking all day like I used to, or emotional eating--I have to battle those on my own. It does keep me from overeating at meals. I am proud of how I have changed my diet :)   I have cut out sugar, flour, potatoes, and rice from my diet. I eat only three meals and one snack per day. My meals consist of about four ounces of food, except my breakfast which is almost always a super low-carb protein shake. I always eat my protein first (at least two ounces) then vegetables, then fruit. My snack is usually string cheese, nuts, or fruit.

I'm not doing enough high intensity exercise (at least according to me and my trainer) but I am walking and doing some Just Dance 2 on the Wii with my kids. My doctor says that my weight loss is at the top of the charts and is excellent with my current exercise. Still, my goal is to start today with some aerobic stepping with weights!

It feels awesome that so many people have started noticing and commenting on how great I look. It has been an amazing journey so far and I can't wait to see the progress I make over the next six months! My goal weight is 150 lbs. (I think I saw that number on the scale one time when I starved myself when I was 16 years old) so I have lost 84 lbs. and have 62 to go.

Second half of June 2011

June 10th was our third outing with Tammy. We went to Hogle Zoo which just happened to have an exhibit of robot dinosaurs this year, so it fit in with our theme perfectly!

It was the busiest I've ever seen it there. We had to park in the farthest corner of the extra parking lot above the zoo in a spot that I think we created. But it was still a fun day with beautiful weather. We started off in the Asian Cat area where we ate our lunch of Chic-fil-A nuggets (and I ate a 2 oz. piece of leftover salmon and a sugar-free yogurt). Then we started visiting the animals. Christian became obsessed with getting a picture of everything there:      wolf,

iguana,

bat-eared fox, and tons more I won't post.

We got to see the baby elephant, Zuri, get a bath from the hose and play with her ball.

Christian got these binoculars as one of his souvenirs early on in the day.

Tammy got picked to have the raven take a $5 bill out of her hand!

The kids got to give the bird their $1 donation.

Lana got these tall twisty-slushies for everyone who could eat sugar.

And here are the final souvenir shop selections.

We had such a wonderful time!

The peony bulbs I planted last year finally grew and one even got a flower. We didn't get anything done with our flower beds this year, so I was glad to have at least one thing of beauty!

The 11th was our Primary Service Carnival. I ran the snow cone machine this time. There were also hot dogs, chips, drinks, cotton candy,

games,

face painting,

and a ton of fun!

Tony had been working a ton of Saturdays, so on the 12th we went to Lagoon.

And then to Menchies for a frozen yogurt treat.

We were so excited to find an egg in our satelite dish bracket nest on the 17th! Stay tuned for this year's saga of our little birdies.

After four long days of Faith and I cutting fabric and my mom and I sewing, Faith's munchkin costume was finally completed!!! I think I figured out that it came to about $70 and 80 man-hours, total. I told Faith that she would have to use this dress for Halloween for the next three years, then save it so that her daughter and granddaughter could use it, too, otherwise the amount of blood, sweat and tears WOULD NOT BE WORTH IT.

Faith went with Tony and Christian to his Camp Champ where they were learning soccer. Faith thought it would be fun to pose Buddy like in her own soccer pictures--so cute!

 After that, we picked asparagus and strawberries at Day Farm,

and went to feed the ducks in Syracuse. The ducklings we'd seen last time were quite a bit bigger! We also had a fun time hiking around the pond.

On the 19th Faith got up early and made Tony some Father's Day pop-up pancakes. Love the letters!

On the 20th we headed up to Park City. Even though it was not warm outside, the pool was heated so we got in lots of swimming.

The moms did lots of shopping and the kids played hard and got plum wore out.

Faith got this cute patriotic dress from Gymboree,

and Buddy loved this $3 discount shirt from Children's Place (he's modeling it at home being an angry cowboy).

On the 23rd we had Ann and kids over to play. One of the kids had the camera and took this pic of the occasion.

That evening we went to Lagoon together!

On the 27th Buddy made me take this pic of his fake eyeball that he made out of half of a small plastic sphere that he found on the ground. He's creative, I tell ya!

The 30th was Faith's first performance of The Wizard of Oz! Here she is where I dropped her off, right in front of the Davis High theater. I'll post more about the play next time.

First half of June 2011

On the 4th we did the Home Depot project which was supposed to be a Father's Day gift, but we were late and got kits for the Christmas picture frames.

It sure was hot and sunny that morning!

Afterward, we stopped by Zeppe's for some Italian ice,

then on to Lagoon!

On the 5th we released the butterflies we raised from caterpillars. My mom gifted us some last year and they were so neat, she did it again. If you haven't done this before, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Tammy took the week off work to spend time with the kids and take us awesome places. We started out on the 6th at Thanksgiving Point where we ate some lunch in the deli. Faith and Christian decided to share a fajita salad, but then ate all of Tam's chicken pesto pasta as well. I enjoyed a delicious protein shake :(

We absolutely love their dino museum and ended up spending five and a half hours there!

Buddy's favorites are the hands-on exhibits and he loves looking for the little hand sign that designates them.

Of course, nearly two hours of our visit was spent at the sand and water table.

And the gift shop was as big a hit as always :)

We went to the ice cream shop near the deli where the kids snacked on some fairly high priced cones. After seeing others order the sundaes that were only about a dollar more, we decided that we should order one or two of those and share them next time. They're huge!

The 8th was our next outing with Tammy. We started at The Old Grist Mill in Ogden for some lunch.

Then, on to the Dinosaur Park!

Faith loved reading all the information signs and learning about each dinosaur.

Here are the kids with their Tam.

We ended the day with ice creams from the gift shop (Buddy's is a Spiderman head), thanks Tina!