saturdays of the soccer mom

We had soccer today, like every Saturday in the fall and spring. I'm not really sure what the game of soccer is supposed to look like but most of the time it's just 13 yr old stepson running up and down the field. I do have to admit I wish he was playing football. At least then I would understand the game and how to cheer him on.

It has turned cold all of a sudden with high temps in the 60s (yes, that's cold for this time of year in NC). I realized this morning the only pants I had to wear to his game were work pants. This time last year I was in the hospital on bedrest waiting for Aidan to make his arrival and in the spring it was warm enough to wear shorts. I told my husband I had no weekend pants and that before next weekends game I needed to go buy at least one pair. So off I went into the closet to see if I could find a pair of weekend-maternity pants that would pass as regular pants. I pulled out a pair and was sadly getting ready to put them on when I came across a pair of jeans.

Now you have to you have to understand that I haven't worn jeans since the very beginning of my pregnany because I could never find any maternity jeans that I liked. And after having Aidan I couldn't fit into any of my old ones. I tried on all my 28s after most of my pregnancy weight was gone and none of them fit. I went shopping for jeans sometime in the spring hoping to find a pair that I liked and that fit. No luck.

So today when I grabbed an old pair out of the closet, I thought here we go again. Over my feet, up my calves, over the knees, up the thighs, around the waist ... and ... ZIP. OMG they zipped up! I couldn't believe it. I literally danced my way in to see my husband to show him. I imagine he wasn't as overcome with joy as I was but he said congratulations. I even called my mom on the way to the soccer game to tell her the good news. She's like me (or I guess rather I'm like her) and gets excited about little things too.

Although you can't see the fact that they are zipped - check it out - jeaned legs!! Another in hopefully a long line of NSVs.

post-op visit

Went to see the doctor this morning for my post-op visit. I actually saw the Family Nurse Practioner instead of Dr. Enochs which stuck me as odd since everyone I spoke with in the office had been calling it "your appointment with Dr. Enochs." Fortunately, she's really nice and I feel very confortable with her.

She congratulated me on my 21lb loss (I read 299.8 fully clothed!!) and said that my incisions looked so good she didn't think I would have any scaring. I laughed and told her that these little cuts were nothing compared to my c-section scar. I have a 14cc AP-L band. And that it is primed with 2-3ccs but that it shouldn't cause any restriction yet as the 2-3ccs should just be in the tubing.

The best news is that she told me I could skip the puree stage and go straight to mushies/soft. YEAH - BYE BYE Liquids!! As soon as I left the doc I headed to the grocery store to pick up some things for work. I got grits, applesauce, and my favorite kajun krab dip (ala faux crab). I had the grits for a late breakfast but I made them too runny so they didn't stick around very long. The krab dip mmmmmmmmm is soooooo good. I only had like 2 tablespoons worth but man was it tasty. I even bought some thin crackers to put it on and they went down well. All in all I have had a very yummy day and only up to 330 calories. Looks like I may be having some more dip as a snack! The best way to eat it is on celery but I'll save the stringy stuff until I am a bit further out.


The tech that took my blood pressure and weight recommended that I try these protein shakes made by OhYeah. She swears they are delicious and with low calories, low carbs and 32g of protein definitely worth checking out. Anyone tried them before?

I go back in 2 weeks for my first fill. I won't be seeing Dr. Enochs yet again but instead is PA Brian. Lynn over at The Blubber Blog says that he is really nice so hopefully all will go well then.

The weather is much better today than it has been so I think I will take the little one on a stroll tonight. He loves pointing and jabbering at all the things in the neighborhood. I can't wait until I can actually jog with my jogging stroller. Maybe by the spring?

broccoli n cheese soup for the soul

Thanks for all the encouragement. I think it just hit me this morning when I got on the scale and then after that opened last night's mail to see my pre-insurance billing statement from the hospital for $25,000. My husband asked "Can we give it back"? Fortunately, he was just kidding and is very supportive. He even offered to go on liquids with me but of course I didn't make him do it. Why would I wish this on anyone?

Tonight I am moving on to a new kind of soup - roasted potato and garlic (blended). So far I've had lots of tomato and strained broccoli n cheese. Ohh, it be marvelous to taste something new.

Yesterday, I was plugging my calories into the counter on fitday.com (thanks Brooke) and since I didn't have the package of broccoli n cheese soup here with me at work I Googled the nutrition facts. Now, mind you, I have been devouring it at least once a day since Saturday. My eyes about popped out of my head when I read 170 calories per 1/4 cup. I've been eating a whole cup and that is a whopping 680 calories! I just knew that wasn't right. I wouldn't have purchased something like that. Or did I in my OMG I GET TO BE ON FULL LIQUIDS HIGH purchase something so rich and calorie laden?

I decided that it couldn't be right. I wouldn't have done that. And on my way home stopped by the grocery store to confirm said decision. I quickly turned over the packet and low-n-behold there it was 170 calories per 1/4 cup!!!! But then in little letters beside 1/4 cup it said "(dry)" and near there it also said "1/4 dry makes 1 cup liquid." Ahhh sweet surrender, I had only been eating 1 serving at 170 calories not 4 servings at 680!

Lesson learned, don't trust online nutrition facts that aren't directly from the company's website.

playing with pounds

I wanted to write an excited post the day I got into the 200s (299.8 to be exact). I even took a picture of my feet on the scale (funny enough, it was the same day Amy did hers). I got rather busy that day at work and didn't get it posted.

The next morning I woke up, hopped on the scale as usual, and what did my bleary eyes see? 300.4 !!!!!! I shook it off and weighed myself a little later on 299.6. The next day I even got down to 299.2. This morning however, 301.2.

DAMN YOU 2 LBS!!!





So now it's been 5 days since I first hit 299.8 and I am still playing with the same 2 lbs. I think it might be a combination of two things: 1) not drinking enough water and 2) not eating enough calories. For instance, yesterday I had around 700 calories. I did worked really hard on the water part, though. I swear I felt like I was going to float away. Today, I am working on the calories.

I know I shouldn't weigh myself every day because weight is such a fluxuating thing but tomorrow is my first post-op appointment with the doc. I really want to be under 300 when I step on his scale fully clothed.

one week

As the Bare Naked Ladies say "Its been one week since you looked at me, Cocked your head to the side and said" you're banded!

What a week. Three days of pain meds, 2 days of tylenol, 1 day at work! - Well maybe 2 days at work if I can make it out of the house today.

I was so excited yesterday when I stepped on the scale and it read 300.0 lbs. Who the heck is excited to see 300.0 - well that would be someone who has been over 300 lbs since about 1/2 way through pregnancy which was in June 2008!! That means that in my one week of clear liquids I have lost 15lbs.

WOOHOO - be gone with you. No more 15lbs of weight dragging me down. Look at all the extra ribs I was carrying around!


Another reason to be happy today?

I GET TO START FULL LIQUIDS!!!

I was so ecstatic this morning that I made tomato soup for breakfast. Talk about tastey. So flavorful, so creamy  and it's just plain old Campbell's Tomato Soup. It really was mmm mmm good. Took me about 30 mins to finish this one little mug of soup. What a difference a week makes!!

I think I will take a can to work so I can have it for lunch as well. That is, if I actually get my rear in gear and head to work.

Have a great Friday everybody!

Big Daddy's Birthday

Thursday was my husband's 36th birthday. He's not a fancy guy and he doesn't like a lot of fuss. Ask him what he wants for his birthday and he will say "peace and quiet." I laugh every time he says that and respond back "you have 4 kids, 2 dogs, a cat, and a wife - there is no more peace and quiet."

Usually, we go out to eat as a couple for his birthday the weekend before/after the actual day. Last weekend I was doped up in recovery so maybe this weekend we will go somewhere with soup so I can enjoy too. But on the actual day, we usually just celebrate with a family dinner followed by homemade cookies or cookie cake. He doesn't like regular cake but strangely enough is a damn good cake baker. I'll have to post a pic of his master creation in a few weeks when I can actually enjoy a bite again. Here he is with the older 3 kids blowing out his candles.

The littlest one was already in bed but I did snap a shot of him with his older children - my 2 lovely red headed step children and 1 blonde step child (just doesn't have the same ring to it).

Billy Jr., the oldest, tried to take a picture of his father and me but every time someone was making a face. I decided to cut my husband out of the picture because he would have not liked any of the shots. He probably won't like this one either because my boob makes his shirt look like he has man boobs which is not true.

The strangest part of the evening for me was that I cooked dinner for the first time post-op. I made what we call "kitchen chicken" which basically is just boneless skinless chicken breasts with some evoo, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Of course I made Billy's favorite starchy sides of mashed potatoes and corn along with his favorite cheesy garlic chibatta bread. Talk about smells - the kitchen smelled soooooo good I just wanted to lick everything - especially the bread. I did really well though. I even fed the baby, well helped him feed himself, while everyone else ate. It was my first time back at the dinner table since surgery. Everything was going so well and then I almost made a mistake. I had been feeding the baby litle balls of mashed potatoes (yes they are that starchy) and instead of grabbing a napkin I went to lick my fingers. Fortunately, I realized what I was doing before I did it and promptly got a napkin. But damn that would have been sooooooooooo good.

first NSV achieved!

Ok. I was going to go to work right after I did that post but then something marvelous happened.

At least once a week (sometimes daily) since my son was born almost a year ago, I do this sad little routine of trying on my engagement ring. I had to take it off about 1/2 way through my pregnancy and I haven't been able to wear it since.

When I decided to get the band, I put "wear my engagement ring again" on my list of things to accomplish post-surgery. I've tried it on every day since surgery hoping that it would fit. Today, 5 days post surgery - I have had my first NSV!!! Check it out - yippeeeeeeee.

back to work and then some

Today will be my first day back to work since having surgery last Friday. I initially intended to go back yesterday but my larger incision site was really painful. Going to go for 1/2 a day today with the possibility of staying all day. Just depends on how I feel.

Side note: my younger stepson has the word "feel" as one of his spelling words this week - poor little southern kid can't say "feel" he always says "fill." We have worked so hard on E's and I's but just think how hard it must be when you here everyone around you saying "GIT" instead of "GET." The whole thing just makes me laugh when people talk about feeling their fill.

I added the Wal-mart brand slim-fast to my diet yesterday. It felt so good to taste something other than water, chicken broth, and popsicles. Doc suggests adding a clear protein during week 1 but I had the slim-fast so I threw caution to the wind and added it instead. Everything seems to be going smoothly. I am down almost 20 lbs since my last visit with my surgeon and 15lbs since surgery. One little LB is keeping me from being in the 2s. I am ready to be done with the 3s FOREVER!

I thought this morning, as I was in the potty, about Amy's "fart, fart, not a fart" situation. Guess it is true if you only put liquids in you are only going to get liquids out! I was ecstatic, though, because I hadn't pooped since the day before my surgery - going on 6 days! Isn't it funny how we all commiserate in our poop problems?

And on that note ... Hello to my new followers and I hope everyone has a lovely Wednesday.

how long on liquids

I know each doctor is different so I thought I would pose the question to all you lovely ladies. How long were you on clear liquids and full liquids post-surgery?

It's only been 4 days and I am just about over clear liquids. Bring on the creamy soup!

pre-op photos

I asked my husband if he would mind if I put pics up here with me in my undies. He didn't object, heck he even took them, so here we go!

(pics removed b/c i am applying for a new job and i'm sure they will google me)
This is my pre-op body. We took these the morning of surgery. My weight at surgery was 313lbs. My skin is severely stretched from when I was pregnant and had pre-eclampsia. Ugh-- too many stretch marks. Additionally, my post-baby-body has a horrible flap of skin hanging down around my whoo-haa. That will be the first thing to be lopped off after I reach my goal weight.

My weight at my last appointment with the surgeon was 320 so down 7 lbs pre-surgery.

My first mini-goal is to be below 300 within 2 weeks of surgery. As of today, 2 days post-op, I am down to 308 so it looks like I am well on my way to meeting that first goal! I haven't weighed less than 300 lbs since I was pregnant with Aidan. It will be such a relief just to be back in the 2s!!

Also wanted to throw in a picture of my incisions. I have 3 small and 1 medium.

banded and drugged

Everything went well yesterday. The pain drugs are making my eyes feel funny so this will be a short post.

Thanks to everyone's encourgement. Glad to finally be on the other side of this!

tomorrow, it's only a day away

Actually, it is less than 11 hours from my surgery. I will check in at 5:15am and hope to be in surgery around 7:30. I've done a really good job on my liquid only diet today. My husband let me lick his reese's peanut butter pumpkin but I didn't take a bite.

Thanks for all the encouragement up to this point, my dear blog buddies. See you on the other side!

one day to go

Today is my required 24hrs of clear liquids prior to surgery. I took the day off from work so that I could get the house in order before going to the hospital tomorrow. My parents will be here to help my husband with the  children and to make sure I am resting like I should. Of course them coming makes me feel the extra need to straighten up today.

I also have to FINALLY go get supplies for my clear and full liquids weeks. Last night I had a good southern girl last meal - Bojangles chicken-n-biscuits. It was tastey. I had planned to have a piece of apple pie before going to bed but I was so stuffed that I didn't even try it. Guess that's a step in the right direction.

Speaking of meals - how have those of you with children, husbands, significant others handled cooking dinner while you were on liquids? Did you get the other adult to cook for a few weeks or did you muster through?