Want to see video of my fluoro? SO FREAKIN COOL!

Can I say AMAZING!! I have been banded for a 1 year and half and yesterday is the first time I have actually seen my band working. I have a whole NEW respect for "her". I always new that I had it in me but seeing it on screen and watching it gave it a whole new level of "real".

I was able to have my husband sneak some video while they were working on me. And I am going to share it with you... SOOOOO COOL! (or at least so cool to me)

My phone takes crappy video but at least you can see it...



The 1st video shows what I came in with... I was drinking a liquid and it just went in to my band and stayed there. The dark bubble is my small stomach on top of the band filled up and noticed that nothing is gong through. To the top left you can see a long vertical dark area that is heart burn. (which I could not feel)





This video shows what a band should mostly look like with liquid hitting the band and moving through the small top of my stomach to the bottom part of my stomach. (liquid should never meet resistance with the band.. just solid food)




This last video shows what my band does with liquid when I have no fill at all... completely empty.





In a nutshell I came in with 5.25 CC for some reason I was to tight and water was struggling to get through. Which explains my aspiration at night after drinking water before bed. For the most part I didn't know I was to tight... I never felt the heartburn. Crazy huh?

(I haven't had a fill since last February and the aspiration at night just started happening about 2 months ago)

So they took out all but 2.25 CC. They think I had some irritation in my band area which caused me to swell up a bit... which was causing the aspiration and the heartburn. So I am going to wait 3-4 weeks and go back in for another fill.

I don't like losing those fills but I respect the band to much to let it go irritated. This is my gift and I will be kind to it and my body!

Also: most bands should be at a 45 degree angle.. mind is at 70 degree which is a little odd but the Dr. said that could just be normal for my body.

--Heather

188.4 WOWSERS!

Oh yeah! This was one of those crying moments...

Weight loss has slowed down dramatically but it's moments like this that remind me that my weight is still going down... (not up).

I think that means I am only 8 lbs away from being at my intial goal weight of 180. Not really sure where I will go from there... since I never really ever expected to get there. LOL!

I am in unmarked territory for sure.

On a side note: I went and saw my DR last week. Just to talk and see if I needed a fill or if I should stay where I was at. Ended up that the Dr. took OUT .3, yes that is right took OUT .3... I almost started crying in her office. I guess my few episodes of waking up in the middle of night with reflux made her nervous. So we scheduled a fluro for this Wednesday and she sent me on my way. I have to say... that I haven't felt much difference in losing .3 of my fluid. I was beyond scared that I would be starving but I feel the same as before. Interesting.

I'll keep you posted on my fluro results after my appointment.

HAPPY 188lbs to me...

Update

What can I say... I am a horrible blogger. It's mostly because the excitement of my weight loss has slowed down. I am still losing but it is at a slower rate and takes a little more dedication on my part.

I have finally lost 120lbs (I have some great photos to post) but it has been slow going. At least I'm not gaining, that's a huge improvement. lol.

Well, hope you all are doing good. I'll get those pictures posted soon. And then I'll post as I c an.

First time on an airplane since surgery

All I can say is.... "I LOVE BEING THINNER". WOW! What a difference it makes in almost all aspects of my life.

I just got back from a weekend getaway with my hubby. I haven't been on a flight since I traveled for my surgery. (over a year ago)

I have to be honest and say that I was hoping there would have been a little more room in my seat then there was. I fit, YES!, with the arm rest down!!There just wasn't a whole lot of extra room. It was a reminder to me that I am only at the beginning of where I actually want to be.

I didn't have to ask for a seat belt expander. I didn't have to beg my seat neighbor to leave the arm rests up. I didn't have to worry about my thigh pressing the seat recliner button on the arm rest and then having to use my stomach muscles to keep my chair up right while the plane lifted off. (true story)

It was beautiful.

It was amazing.

Life is good.

But I still want to lose more... so my seat has even more room next time. : )

Under 200lbs... WOW!!!

A huge day for me! I am hoping that this picture comes thru my phone to the blog.
I am on vacation with my hubby for his high school reunion. (Tulsa, OK) Maybe reaching "onederland" is fitting for this week because I haven't weighed under 200 lbs since I was in high school. I don't know where my Lap-band journey will take my weight to.... but I like the direction. lol.
Happy onederland to me!

Neglected, yes... but not forgotten.

Yep, that's me and my girl... my chicken Anna.

A HUGE, SORRY to my followers and friends. I am only now able to finally commit to writing a post.

My father passed away on Easter Sunday. He spent a week in the hospital after having an unexpected stroke. We had to take him off his breathing tube because the damage in his brain was so severe. He was 54 years old.

It's been forever since I felt like I had anything extra to give. So blogging was put on the back burner. I could barely function as a mother and wife for awhile.

I didn't lose much weight during the last few months. I have finally started getting back to normal habits. I am at 202 lbs... that's 111 lbs if you are counting. ( I am ) lol.

I think my body is changing and shifting. People are really commenting about how I look. Men are hitting on me. And I feel great! : ) Though the random men hitting on me is really weird. Thank goodness my hubby is a good sport about it all.

I really need to get back to the gym on a regular basis and I need to quit cheating on sweets. Just 2 lbs to go and I can finally be under 200lbs. How cool will that be.

Thanks for letting me ramble. I will try to post more regularly.

1 Year Bandanniversary!!! 100lbs GONE...

Well, it's here! A whole year and exactly 100lbs lighter. I kinda gave up making any sort of weight loss goals for the last month. I figured I would get where I got and that was good enough.

I weighed myself this morning and what do you know... 213.4 lbs.

I couldn't have imagined this kind of success a year ago. In fact, before my surgery, my husband and I were talking about my weight loss goals. I told him that I would be very pleased with 80lbs lost in 1 year... but I wasn't counting on it.

: )

A year later I can look back and say... THANK GOODNESS for my band. This has been a life changer. I am curious what the next few years will bring...

I am 33lbs from my initial goal of 180 lbs... I am 75% of way to that goal.

I am feeling truly blessed and grateful this day!!! Happy Bandanniversary to me!!!


Stay tuned: for updated 100lbs lost pictures!

UNDERgrown.... Lane Bryant?

I was looking for some longer sleeved undershirts that I could wear this summer under my short sleeve work clothes... figured I'd swing my Lane Bryant because they have always been good to me. (not the price! lol. but they have always fit!)

I asked the gal who worked there for some help, she lead me to the shirts and grabbed a size... she then held it up and apologetically said "the lowest we go is a size 14-16". I automatically said " no problem" thanks. It wasn't until I was in the dressing room that I wondered why she said it that way... I tried the shirt on and what do you know... that shirt was too BIG! Yep, I have under grown Lane Bryant.

Surprisingly, I wasn't very happy about this news.

I was kinda of in shock... like, GREAT... where do I go now? I guess you could say I was in mourning. I know, I know... weird huh? I should have been jumping for joy! I think because I wasn't prepared for the moment to happen.. it took me by surprise.

Of course, after digesting the info... I can now say that I am ecstatic to be moving on. I called a girlfriend of mine (who has lost over 100 lbs) and we figured out a few possible locations to find what I am looking for. So, there you have it. A NSV!

PS!! Just 2 days until my 1 year Bandiversary (Sp?)... CRAZY!!! I'll be posting more on that day.

The ugly...

Here is my belated ugly posted...

Right after my fill I wondered if I was to tight. I had only gotten... .25 cc (not much) and I was doing fine during meals but for two nights in a row I... how do I say it... I burped food/stomach stuff while sleeping. Talk about freaking out... I have tried to be such a good bandster and when that happen twice in 2 nights... I was thinking that I was going to have to go in for an unfill. I held back because I was eating perfect bandster meals during the day and not feeling over tight. Tight, yes, but not OVER tight. What I finally figured out was that with my new fill I can no longer go to bed within 1 hour of eating. That adjustment seems to have fixed the whole scary night burping thing and I seem to be on the right track.

Now for the really ugly part...


So, right before the funeral I came down with a very bad cold. (and I am positive that there is a relation between a cold/mucus that causes my band to swell.) I was so tight on our way down to Texas, that I was drinking warm liquids before every meal just so I could get any amount of food down during a meal. (warm liquids before a meal tend to help open my band up) Anyways... I was being extremely careful because I had never felt such restriction... (my fill had been 2 weeks earlier and I HAD been fine) I was nervous taking a trip while being so tight but funerals don't wait.

I did pretty well until the day of the funeral. I was at the family luncheon we had before the funeral. I wasn't able to get a hot drink prior to eating and I took some food including a small piece of homemade fried chicken. I think it was the chicken that did it. I felt that feeling of... "you better stop cause things aren't moving, better wait till it passes" feeling. So I took a break and sat there... the feeling got worse and worse. Finally about 5 min later I told my husband that I was going to excuse myself because I was having some band issues. I ended up in the bathroom with a serious stuck feeling... I felt the burn telling me that I need to throw up but I held on figuring it would pass (like normal) but it just got worse and worse. I started the drooling part and finally figured screw it... I was going to have to let give in and "toss it up" into the porcelain. What shot out was pure slimy clearness... no food at all. I felt some relief but still felt like crap. Then within 5 min it was starting all over again... I was like... "what the crap" this has never happen before. The bathroom started to fill up with extended family and I moved my agony out to an empty part of the church... and I ended up throwing up into a church trash can and STILL no food. Just clear slimy stuff... (my apologies to the church staff)

Finally, something like 45 mins later I was able to rejoin the family. Just in time too... my insides felt torn up and sore. I was so scared that I had just caused serious damage to my self and all while out of town. It was horrible.

I ended up staying on liquids for OVER 24 hours and I DID recover. But I was sore inside all that night. It was truly my UGLEST banding moment.

UPDATE AS OF TODAY: I truly am tight but I don't think overly tight. I can eat just about anything (very little to none... rice, pasta bread) but my meals are about 3/4 a cup to 1 cup. I always go to bed at least 1 hour after eating. And I pretty much feel like I am at my sweet spot. My weight has been consistently coming off and I am feeling great. If I get a cold I will be sure to watch how my band is doing. This truly is a different way of life but as I reach my almost 100 lbs gone mark I am SO grateful for this little tool of mine and I'd do it all again. I am learning to respect the band and work with it. I am willing to put off my desires for the "rules" of the band.

The Bad...

Along with the good, there have been a few bad moments... so here are my confessions and random thoughts...

I haven't worked out, in like 4 weeks!!!! I actually made it to Kickboxing class today and I am hoping that I won't be horribly sore tomorrow. (I hate it when I can't sit on the toilet with out crying because my thighs hurt so bad - dang, stupid, squats!!)

I can totally feel the difference in my ability to workout after being away for so long. blah... no fun. Hoping I'll be feeling tough and strong again in a few weeks.
(I feel so wimpy using 3 lb weights but well, if that's all you can do than that's all you can do.. ) : )

MY EXCUSES: The reason I haven't worked out is because my husband's grandmother passed away and we had to make an emergency funeral trip down to Texas (which is a decent excuse) but the rest of the time I had sick kids, sick me and of course I can blame alot on my new job and my lack of planning.

So yep... some bad moments. I am too tired right now to post any more tonight but stay tuned for the "Ugly... post" I am going to write next... I have had some real lessons in banding this last month.

(My oldest son and I at the funeral.. what a little stud)

(my hottie husband and me at the funeral.... and yes that is a Christopher and Banks jacket... lol)

The Good...

Life is crazy, good. : )

Actually, it's been REALLY, REALLY crazy. (sorry for the lack of posts)

The biggest "crazy" factor is that I took on a part time job. I am now an Asst. Manager for Christopher and Banks. It's darn perfect timing considering that I need a whole new wardrobe. he, he, he... it's been a fun challenge but going from a stay at home mom to a part time working mom is an adjustment.

Things on the weight loss front have been great as well. My sister has asked me a few times if I am peeing out my weight. lol. I am only a few lbs shy of being at 100 lbs down, since surgery. I had a fill about 1 1/2 months ago (I can't remember exactly) and HOLY SWEET SPOT. I am there baby... small meals and very little hunger in between meals. IT IS FREAKIN AMAZING!!!! All I could hope for and more... I feel great and I feel so much lighter ,healthier & happier. I really truly feel that I have been given a gift.

So, yep, life is good.

But to keep it real.. I'll mention a few other sides of life in my next few posts that aren't so perfect but are part of my journey.

Hope life is being good to you too...

Great Article - Why you're not seeing fitness results.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/28/exercise.reboot/index.html?hpt=C2

AMEN! Good points for all...

5.5cc

Got a small adjustment fill today.

DR. added just .25cc... I was hoping for .5cc. I can go back in for a free fill in two weeks and get another.25cc if I still think I need it. On liquids today and I'll see how this week goes.

Bummer news is that they upped the cost for my fill. Use to be $75.00, it's now $97.50. Geez, thanks for keeping it under$100.00 by .50 cents. sigh. Oh well.. it could be a lot worse.

5lbs of fat...

Carin, my awesome kickboxing instructor, brought in 5 lbs of fat. Using my crappy camera phone I snapped a photo of me (post workout) holding up that nasty 5lbs of fat.

DID I REALLY have almost 17 of these puppies layered on my body?

IMPOSSIBLE! UNBELIEVABLE! NO WAY!


By the way... I saw 229 on my scale this morning. That's 84lbs if anyone is counting... I am!!! LOL!

Life is good.

Instead of going to the gym today I figured I would break out of the house with the kiddos and take advantage of some warmer temperatures. (high 30's)

I had my 7 year old on his bike and my 3 year old on his big wheel. It might be hard to imagine but my three year old can pick up some speed on that big wheel of his. I walked when he was moving slow and ran when he was movin fast. It was a pretty delightful 30 mins.

What I realized is that last summer I couldn't have done this. I would have been dying to keep up with a fast movin three year old. But today, I kept wishin he would keep it up. In fact, a few times I ran past him and tried to coax him during his slower moments.

I love moments like this:
When I realize, that I AM a better, more fun mom... 83 lbs lighter.

This is one of the reason's I opted for Lap-Band. So that I wouldn't miss out on life anymore. This summer I am going to try out one of my goals... I am going to slide down the slide at the park. I don't want to be the mom who just watches anymore. I want to enjoy this small moment in my life. When I have these beautiful little boys to run and play with.

Life is good.

80 lb lost - PICTURES!!!

Click on the photos to see them bigger.




Here they are!!! The long awaited pictures... took me long enough. Here I am in all my glory... still got a booty on me but "I like big butts" is my theme song. LOL!

Fun facts: was size 28 pants (although I didn't want to admit it) current: size 20 (it's that booty) Shirt size: was 24-26 (3xl) current: 16-18 (XL/L) Bra size: well lets just say that the "girls" are holding up, just at a smaller size (husband isn't complaining yet) ; )

I couldn't see a huge difference in my look for the longest time... but it's pretty obvious now. So glad I have these photos. : )

I DID IT! 80lbs down!!!!

WHOOT! WHOOT!

81lbs to be exact!

I'm SO EXCITED! Just had to share... I promise pictures this week!!!!